iEx  IGtbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
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Except  a  loaned  hook." 


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Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


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THE  PRESS  OF  WESTERN  NEW-YORK 


Heartman's  Historical  Series  Number  34. 


Tk  Bath  Gazdte^   and  Qencfee  Aher^r. 


TiiURSDAY,  jANUA|(y  5,179^. 


Vol.  I. 


ADD  R  E  S  S 
To  the  Public. 


C-vjL  :  .  Ui.i  ba>  long  elUblifhcJ  it  a  prccc.lent, 
J  Um  Ujc  Sditors  <\\  a  Sfwi-paeer^  tni  the 
con.ittfftttWtocri?  ol  i.s  pui>Vtcation,  lliQuid  Jidilicfs 
On.t  /*/<^/'r  fn)m  \irhom  they  expatJ?*KiJfl  from 
n  lu'in  in  tbc  pitfcnt  inlUnre  (bey  have  no  oouLt 
!vti«  il»ey  receive  a  ^tfwfrcj^;  enco-jranjement. 
~Wli€tb^r  tins  pri'cctlchl:  Uc  good  or  bad,  is  a 
j.ifflion  vMcIt,  »8  it  ickitcs  to  them,  time  v)n!y 


caa  detcinvinc- 


—One  mnai  N,  howe\'cr,  they 
'h'  T  ;<  ,>phaf  is  proBMU'd  be  pcr- 
•a  tb?»r  credit :  uut  it  they 

■  •  r^t"^  to  tt  c  dvc 

re  oi  lh;:r  Fctrons.  .  ,  , 


t).is  G  AZETTR  has  b«rti 
•j»K>ii         .  ...  iftc  iLduvrs  tb.ereot  (upjpofe  ati 
a J»Wg>'.  H> .  it*  irtcui* ,  altjiolt  un  j  it  cc  liary :  tor 
-«v«sf)'  man,  crexy  mh.^»tttof  tUiS  Wtftcrn 
•  ftjuntiy  SctW  bwrn-s  the  iifficuity  of  itioving ;  of 

♦>»tiHlwtBbi#1— 4f#«^'^^,  >ff*^>^  -thgn.  gmfl  bfc  <|l*y 


Hath,  Dec.  CI;  179'*. 


uxj^-r.*,— jjaeaitb.  "^appi. 


A  U  T  Ji  Ji  N  T  X  C. 


Trjinflatlon  of  atfx'.e  A-o 
Ki-piihlic,  to  the  ocu' 

Leg.; t  ion  of 

('  <  ru  iiui-ii 
tVe  pvffiflfHi  •n  thr  31(1 
a.ip  V.' ilium  x^k.  -1  «>mi  ( 
ifit  Unitt4  Staffs. 

P.lgriit)  h;id  bf  -  u  t 

t'»e  owru-r;  - 
dtH  id*{l  OH  r.i 

line  ' 


n  riie  M  ri'Vtf  of  fhc  Fn^i^c'i 
iarv  t>i' Staif  xif  rliif  UniieU 

'I  am  inir  JaJt) 
jfanr.  '«>4,  drc'iHe  tli.;t  the 
f  tli<f  i  an  is  ofii-.e  waifiiiif 
'  UvertKi      theco|Jt»r  ; 
nf.t  (letiiief  fhtit  K\  c 
■  .jt<Ts  of  Xk9  United 
!  le  r»oi»!«J  i>i'  jiv«»  tij>  to 
'iter  rhe  pf#C(ttn(  flot  nr.'y 


till  iiJt!  t:n  Nc'v-fiuJjti-, 


"ivs't  f.;,.  lu'u  *. ...  ;  ijiittinprlie  srticltj  of  the 
tie;.ly  til.  b*.  v,,,l  ufti  Iv  i  :$  a^tfius  anr?  rribsmsU,  )fn» 
I'etififtl  ga»irnr.7;.it  a  fo  fiifTt-ict)  tfh«  JCnjr.ifli  to  aisil 
thfnirfli  04*  .  dv.inta»c5  (.•iTr;  u>e'J  t"  ?n. m  tl;ai 
artiyr.  i'hcT  ariue'.!  ir  t 'se  ,  arts  ofi hi  S;st-i, 
.b.-i  5i{»ht  in,  ar.si  rrj^ *■!•<?*]  ihc  r  p  -.zti,  aivJ  iu  <«  vi  oj  d. 
Iiiiii'd  !U  them  a  crrta;<:  E.fi;!i;tr. 

Thus  !^e  Eiiglins  j^riv^iiicr  T.'uftf ,  Cap£:.ii«r  Hall, 
vv^sarravd      ilai.irnorc      crurfe  aasitHrtlie  l-J-^DtiSi, 


and  tV^p  nffretary  of  fVr^r?  nfflimf  that  he  wrote 
to  ths  EO*einor  of  Virjinia.  to  havejuHice  rcndeml 
•»itn.  >BMt  tiirs  juftice  wnt  UmU  d  t»)  inrefligiliuo* 
nr<d?  witljfttsh  fluw'ifrs,  that  fi/f  nr»noili)i  after.  tVir. 
iiftuir  Wis  Hut  fi  .iihrd  ;  nnd  op  rli<-  ?.;rh  Kebra^ry  '9>, 
th^  l.-trrrary  of  c.ntcnted  I.inifc'.f  with  fpiidiiig 
to  the  }.rt?d*trirori»f  tht  uifderfi/n-.-d,  t!ie  difpartli^i 
of  tlir  lieutenaac  govcroor,  datrd  tlic  loth  O^.-ber, 
94.  V;  which  he  ur!tto:i.rccs,  t^^»t  he  .irdcrrd  l!  r 
cocnni4nd4r,t  of  ilie  n^ijitU  «t  Nerf^Jk  wake  the 
iifcefl.iry  cnqnirirs  for  etubUii*  thf  exrcutrre pf  Vlr- 
n<nm,  ro  re  idtr  to  the  rt-iHiVTic  ifie  j«ftice  U  had  a 
riRht;  to  cjcpea.  The  r^foli  of  thefr  .nquirie.  u  Hut 
known.  Hovvfver.  the  fart  .%onc  which  the  mincer 
F.mckct  coi!!|d«in*d  to  the  (ecretary  of  ftate  was  no- 
tnr;nM\  t.n<\  pnlnftiJ  feffarihpi  were  not  necefTary  to 
co'ivasce  himfilf  of  It.  Do  we  ttat  find  iii  th'ti  pro- 
cceuinK  a  foriTiid  defAre  to  elud«  the  treaiici,  aud  10 
tavur  the  Eng'.ifh  i 

li  ihe  ^JTf  nurcnt  of  t'le  Uniti'i  JfatH  had  w^fiiet, 
to  ;na''inniri  irfcK  in  that  impai-tlaliry  whWd  itsdnt!*' 
prefctibef?.  if  it  had  wilheJ  freely  fo  exffiute  tl-e 
ne;'»i*«,  it  woidd  not  hava-  wsited,  every  time  thit 
til*  i^.iiglifii  infi  incfd  tliem,<ft>r  tin?  niinifteVto  foI>cl: 
itJ  j<»flice.--iih<mid  it  i^ot  ft;We  g.ven  ifftru£Ktoi>H  fw 
precife,  ilut  tb?  Rovcrr.orsof  the  Oate«  and  fobxtcerrt 
oiEci  Tii  of  tiic  ftdiT.il  iJoverntTifpt  niijht  knovv  u  !;;iC 
i;n:irs  t'ley  »*wi  £•  fuUil,  hi  order  lo  fij/i!.t»)n  the  e^- 
cc\i;"u!r.  of  trtatie^ .''  \V!'y  ha\e  I'te  inoH  cnprgeti* 
orde^5  (fu«lj  at  the  fctfrtaj^  et  tUte,  Raiid«>!j'h» 
infticio!)*)  }»«efl  givjfiB.  %%hf  a  the  fynporf  oifthe  ncu- 
tr.*!ity.  inv'obte?  in  fi«-»<>r  of  the  1  i-glifh,  tame  iu 
r-:,  f  i«n  ha-.---  r'-.- r:.'  ,r.: re.-:  taken  by  the  fede- 

ijflse?}  flownefs  wh(.-:i 
i  70,  h.T*^e  ttie  ixiwX  - 
t  .  '.'iw.'-  r,  v.'^vvr  pr«duCed  the  re- 

»{rt;f9  «t  the  4ritv.inc<J'«of  w^ieh  tliey  cosiplaiacd  ? 
(to  be- c^MUlnftTsd) 


FACSIMILE  OF  THE  EARLIEST  NEWSPAPER  OF  WESTERN  NEW  YORK  EXTANT 


HISTORY 

OF  THE 

PRESS  IN  WESTERN  NEW-YORK 


From  the  Beginning  to  the  ?Jiddle  of  the  Nineteenth  Century 


BY  FREDERICK  FOLLETT 


With  a  Preface  By 
WILBERFORCE  EAMES 


With  Facsimile 


NINETY-ONE  COPIES 

Reprinted  for 
CHARLES  F.  HEARTMAN 
New  York,  1920 


Number.  .%J.of  91  Copies  Printed  on  Handmade  Paper. 

Also  Eleven  Japan  Paper  Copies  Printed. 


F  K.  E  F  -A.  C  E 

 0  

The  New  York  Press  Association  was  founded  In  1853,  the  first  meeting 
being  held  at  Elmira  on  September  8th  of  that  year,  under  the  name  of  a 

"Convention  of  the  Editors  and  Publishers  of  Western  and  Southern  New 
York."  Prior  to  that  date,  however,  the  editors  and  printers  of  the  state 
had  celebrated  their  profession  and  art  on  more  than  one  occasion  in  an  an- 
nual "Festival,"  the  most  noted  of  which  is  the  one  which  resulted  in  the 
publication  now  reprinted.  Such  a  festival  had  been  held  early  in  1846;  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year  a  number  of  the  active  and  retired  news- 
paper men  of  Rochester  made  elaborate  preparations  for  another  one  to  be 
held  in  that  city  on  the  one  hundred  and  forty-first  anniversary  of  Frank- 
lin's birthday,  January  18th,  1847.  Committees  of  Arrangement  and  Corres- 
pondence were  formed,  who  sent  out  numerous  invitations  to  their  fellov 
craftsmen,  urging  their  attendance,  and  asking  sentiments  for  toasts,  end 
reminiscences  of  early  printing  in  the  Western  Counties  of  the  state.  The 
result  of  all  this  preparation  was  an  assemblage  at  the  dinner  In  the  large 
hall  of  the  Blossom  House  of  one  hundred  and  slxtyfour  guests,  whose  names 
are  given  In  the  proceedings,  for  the  publication  of  which  a  special  commit- 
tee was  named.  It  was  resolved  also  to  include  with  the  proceedings  a  his- 
tory of  the  Press  of  Western  New  York,  the  whole  to  be  issued  in  pamphlet 
form;  and  the  material  which  had  been  collected  for  this  purpose  by  differ- 
ent members  of  the  craft  and  placed  in  the  Committee's  hands,  was  turned 
over  to  Colonel  Frederick  Follett,  an  ex-editor  and  printer,  who  at  this  time 
was  Post-Master  at  Batavia,  he  having  agreed  to  put  it  in  shape  for  publl- 
eation. 


V 


Colonel  Follett  himself  had  prepared  for  the  festival  a  sketch  of  the 
press  of  Genesee  County.  His  instructions  from  the  Committee  of  Publica- 
tion were  that  the  history  should  cover  that  portion  of  the  state  lying  west 
of  a  line  running  north  and  south  through  Seneca  Lake,  comprising  in  al- 
phabetical order  the  following  named  Counties,  the  dates  in  parentheses  be- 
ing of  the  earliest  printing  mentioned: — Alleghany,  Cattaraugus  (1818),  Cay- 
uga (1798),  Chautauque  (1817),  Chemung  (1822),  Erie  (1811),  Genesee  (1807), 
Livingston  (1817),  Monroe  (1816),  Niagara  (1822),  Orleans  (1822),  Ontario 
(1797),  Seneca  (1816),  Steuben  (1796),  Tioga  (1800),  Tompkins,  Wayne 
(1817),  Wyoming  (1828),  and  Yates  (1823).  For  two  of  these  Counties,  Alle- 
ghany and  Tompkins,  no  responses  were  received  from  those  to  whom  re- 
quests for  information  had  been  addressed,  and  as  a  result  they  had  to  De 
left  out  entirely. 

In  his  general  remarks  at  the  end  of  the  history,  Colonel  Follett  says: 
"I  have  endeavored  in  the  preceding  pages  to  give  as  faithful  a  History  of 
the  Newspaper  Press  of  Western  New- York,  as  the  materials  furnished  me, 
and  my  own  recollection  on  the  subject,  will  permit.  If,  in  reference  to 
some  of  the  Counties,  that  history  is  not  so  close  and  full  as  could  have 
been  desired,  the  fault  is  attributed  to  those  who  ought  to  have  felt  most 
solicitude  on  the  subject;  but  who,  from  negligence,  or  it  may  be,  the  press 
of  other  avocations,  have  omitted  to  communicate,  although  repeatedly  re- 
quested so  to  do  by  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  previous  to  the  Fes- 
tival, and  subsequently  by  the  Committee  of  Publication,  with  either  of  those 
Committees,  or  with  myself,  furnishing  such  facts  as  would  have  contributed 
to  the  correction  of  the  same." 

Frederick  Follett  was  born  in  Gorham,  Ontario  County,  Western  New 
York,  on  November  1st,  1804,  being  the  youngest  of  eight  children  of  Fred- 
erick Follett,  a  pensioner  of  the  American  Revolution.  He  was  educated  in 
his  native  town,  and  in  February,  1819,  began  to  learn  the  printer's  art  in 


VI 


the  office  of  his  elder  brother,  Oran  FoUett,  who  had  Just  started  publiahing 
at  Batavia  a  newspaper  called  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times."  In  May,  1825, 
Oran  Follett  removed  to  Buffalo,  and  Frederick  became  owner  and  editor  of 
the  paper.  In  the  following  year  he  was  married;  and  in  the  anti-mafionic 
excitement  which  followed  the  disappearance  of  William  Morgan,  he  took 
an  active  part  in  defending  Masonry.  In  1830,  when  another  paper  called 
the  "People's  Press"  was  merged  with  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  he  went 
into  partnership  with  Daniel  P.  Adams  under  the  firm  name  of  Follett  & 
Adams,  which  continued  for  a  short  time  only.  In  August,  1836,  Mr.  Follett 
sold  the  newspaper  and  went  to  Texas,  to  serve  in  the  "army  of  liberation" 
under  Gen.  Sam  Houston;  but  the  war  having  ended  before  he  got  there,  he 
returned  home  and  headed  an  unsuccessful  expedition  to  the  newly  dis- 
covered copper-mines  of  the  Lake  Superior  region.  In  August,  1837,  he  re- 
sumed the  editorship  of  his  old  paper,  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  and  con- 
tinued in  that  capacity  until  June,  1840,  when  the  establishment  passed  into 
tlie  hands  of  Lucas  Seaver,  and  Mr.  Follett,  In  partnership  with  Peter  Law- 
rence, started  a  new  paper  In  Batavia,  called  the  "Batavia  Times  and  Far- 
mers and  Mechanics  Journal."  Two  or  three  months  later,  Mr.  Lawrence 
retired,  and  Mr.  Follett  continued  the  publication  alone  until  September, 
1843,  when  it  was  merged  with  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  under  Lucais  Sea- 
ver. The  occasion  of  this  change  was  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Follett  to  be 
Post-Master  at  Batavia,  which  office  he  held  until  1849,  when  he  became 
Canal  Commissioner  of  the  state,  retaining  that  office  until  1856.  He  after- 
wards lost  all  of  his  property  in  an  unsuccessful  business  venture;  and  his 
wife  dying,  he  removed  to  New  York  City  about  1865,  and  accepted  a  posi- 
tion there  in  the  Custom  House,  which  he  kept  until  his  death  on  January 
18th,  1891,  in  hi3  eighty-seventh  year.  A  biographical  sketch  appeared  in 
the  New  York  Times  of  January  20,  1891. 

New  York,  February  27,  1920.  W.  E. 


VII 


The  reprint,  as  made  on  the  following  pages,  contains  only 
THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  PRESS  OF  WESTERN  NEW  YORK  by 
Frederick  Follett.  The  History  is,  in  the  original  pamphlet,  pre- 
ceded by  the  Proceedings  of  the  Printers'  Festival,  held  on  the  141st 
Anniversary  of  the  Birthday  of  Franklin  in  the  city  of  Rochester. 
These  Proceedings  have  been  left  out.  They  contain  some  little  in- 
formation that  is,  perhaps,  important,  but  could  not  have  been  ex- 
tracted without  leaving  an  unsatisfactory  impression  of  being  too 
fragmentary.  As  far  as  the  history  itself  is  concerned,  it  has  been 
reprinted  literally. 

The  Facsimile  reproduction  of  the  Earliest  Newspaper 
printed  in  Western  New  York  extant,  has  been  made  after  the  sug- 
gestion of  Mr.  Wilberforce  Fames,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Har- 
vard College  Library,  the  owner  of  the  original. 


VIII 


INTRODUCTION 


TO  THE 

HISTORY  OF  THE  PRESS 

IN 

WESTERN  NEW-YORK 


In  undertaking  the  task  of  writing  out,  or  compiling  a  "History  of  the 
Press  in  Western  New-York,"  I  confess  I  enter  upon  the  duty  which  the  par- 
tiality of  the  Committee  have  selected  me  to  perform,  with  no  little  distrust 
of  my  capacity  to  do  it  that  justice  which  the  subject  demands,  or  which  the 
Committee  and  the  public  at  large,  and  the  Profession  in  particular,  have 
a  right  to  expect  from  him  who  shall  undertake  it.  But  having  consented 
to  the  task,  it  only  remains  for  me  to  discharge  its  requirements  to  the  best 
of  my  ability.  I  would  rather,  it  is  true,  the  mantle  had  fallen  upon  the 
shoulders  of  some  one  else — older  and  wiser  heads  among  the  "Craft"  could 
have  been  found — those  who  could  have  done  the  subject  full  and  ample 
justice — but  I  am  also  aware  that  it  is  not  always  convenient  or  practicable 
to  engage  their  services  in  such  an  undertaking.  Although  at  this  stage  of 
the  task  I  cannot  assure  the  Committee  that  their  expectations  are  in  the 
least  degree  to  be  answered,  still,  however.  I  think  I  may  promise  them  one 
thing — which  is,  that 

"I  will  nothing  extenuate. 
Or  set  down  aught  in  malice," 
in  what  I  may  have  to  say  In  relation  to  the  Press  of  Western  New- York. 
Having  retired  from  its  duties,  its  cares,  and  its  perplexities, — having  a  con- 
science void  of  offence  against  any  who  have  preceded,  or  who  may  be  now 
In  the  active  prosecution  of  their  labors  in  that  interesting  department  of 
life,  I  think  I  may  claim  for  myself  the  merit  of  being  a  disinterested  wit- 
ness. 

The  "Press"  and  a  "Printer!"  Who  is  not  proud  to  be  associated  with 
the  one,  and  classed  with  the  other?  Never  has  the  genius  of  man  been 
able  to  offer  to  the  world,  viewed  in  all  its  parts,  any  thing  that  at  all  com- 
pares with  that  of  the  Press.  Its  capacity  for  good  and  evil  is  unbounded. 
As  an  engine  of  moral  and  political  power  it  has  no  equal— it  is  the  grand 
regulator  of  the  world,  and  its  power  is  alike  felt  and  acknowledged,  as  well 
by  the  prince  on  the  throne,  as  by  the  dweller  in  the  hamlet.  It  is  the  le- 
ver by  which  the  great  operations  of  the  world,  political,  moral,  and  social, 
are  moved.    How  vastly  important  then,  that  this  power  is  not  misplaced. 


IX 


It  is  said  tliere  are  certain  classes  in  society  who  are  literally  gooa 
for  nothing — that  in  almost  any  position,  as  the  geologist  would  say,  they 
are  "out  of  place."  Thisi  remark,  however,  loses  all  its  force  when  applied 
to  printers,  as  the  very  reverse  of  it  is  true — they  seem  to  be  "in  place,"  in 
all  the  varieties  of  situations  in  which  their  lot  may  be  cast.  Let  the  read- 
er cast  his  eye  around  him.  In  one  of  the  Territories  of  this  Republic  a 
Printer  may  be  recognized,  who  has  exchanged  the  stick  and  the  case,  and 
been  robed  with  executive  power, — again,  among  those  "grave  and  reverend 
signers"  who  occupy  that  most  august  body,  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
and  there  you  discover  a  Printer — look  among  the  fighting  men  of  our  coun- 
try, in  the  ranks  and  clothed  with  official  dignity,  and  there  you  will  find 
the  Printer — look,  also,  among  the  Divines,  the  Doctors,  the  Politicians,  and 
indeed,  among  almost  every  branch  of  industry  or  calling  in  society,  and 
Printers  are  to  be  found!  And  last,  though  by  no  means  least,  the  Craft 
can  point  with  proud  and  glorious  satisfaction  to  Benjamin  Franklin! — He 
Is  an  example,  of  whom,  not  only  Printers,  but  the  world  may  be  proud. 
The  Society  of  him  who  called,  and  tamed,  the  lightning  from  the  clouds, 
has  been  sought  and  courted  by  the  proudest  monarchs  of  the  earth!  Other 
benefactors  of  mankind  have  lived — but  none  whose  brow  has  been  wreathed 
with  prouder  laurels  than  that  of  Franklin. 

It  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  the  designs  of  the  Committee,  and  the  pur- 
poses of  the  "Franklin  Festival,"  to  place  together  in  this  convenient  form, 
a  short  account  of  the  first  discovery,  and  the  early  progress  oi  the  "Art 
of  Printing."  Such  accounts,  1  am  aware,  are  not  without  an  existence — 
but  in  very  many  instances  they  are  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  the  mass 
of  readers,  by  being  coupled  with  other  matter,  thereby  rendering  them  too 
cumbrous  and  expensive  to  be  brought  into  the  circle  of  the  general  reader. 
Presuming  that  I  shall  be  pardoned  for  such  a  digression,  I  will  endeavor 
to  furnish  such  a  synopsis,  which  I  doubt  not,  will  be  new,  and  perhaps,  in- 
teresting, to  many  who  may  be  induced  from  curiosity  or  otherwise  to  pe- 
ruse these  pages,  if  not  to  some  oi:  the  members  of  the  Craft. 

Previous  to  the  discovery  of  the  Art  of  Printing,  the  thoughts  of  men 
were  preserved  and  given  to  the  world,  (and  a  very  circumscribed  portion  of 
it,  too,  owing  to  the  great  price  which  was  demanded  and  received  for  man- 
uscript books,)  in  writing.  At  this  age  of  the  world  it  is  very  diflicult,  if 
not  almost  impossible,  to  realize  the  existence  of  such  a  state  of  things. 
Dark,  indeed,  must  have  been  the  age,  when  knowledge  and  learning 
were  thus  pent-up,  and  shut  out  from  the  world!  But  a  brighter  day 
was  in  store,  and  soon  the  Art  of  Printing  burst  upon  the  world  like  a 
flood  of  light — shooting  its  bright  effulgence  into  the  inmost  recesses,  and 
corners  of  the  habitable  globe! — awakening  a  new  spirit,  v/ith  higher  and 
nobler  aspirations,  in  the  breast  of  man! — the  store  hou.se  of  knowledge  was 
.unlocked,  and  its  treasures  which  had  been  so  long  hidden  from  the  "vulgar 
gaze,"  scattered  to  the  winds  of  heaven. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  at  what  particular  juncture  of  the  world  the  germ 


X 


of  the  Art  of  Printing  took  its  rise,  or  had  its  origin.  Those  who  are  deep 
skilled  in  Antiquarian  researches  have  discovered  that  for  at  least  two  thou- 
sand years  before  the  present  era,  the  art  or  method  of  reproducing  impres- 
sions, although  rude  and  imperfect  in  their  design  and  execution,  had  an  ex- 
istence. Egypt  furnishes  abundant  evidence  of  this,.  The  art  of  coloring 
was  practiced  by  the  Egyptians,  and  was  continued  by  them  until  a  more 
adraneed  state  of  society,  and  the  want  of  something  of  a  more  general  ap- 
plication, induced  them  not  only  to  apply  the  art  to  inscription^,  at  first 
painted  or  engraved  upon  the  statues  of  their  deities,  but  also  entered  into 
the  more  common  affairs  of  life. 

The  site  of  the  ancient  city  of  Babylon  also  presents  some  very  remark- 
able evidences  of  the  existence  of  the  art  of  imprinting,  which  consists  of 
inscriptions  upon  the  bricks  used  in  building. — Some  of  these  early  evidences 
of  the  art  are  now  in  the  library  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  the  British 
Museum,  and  the  Library  of  the  East  India  Company.  The  imprint  will 
compare  with  those  stamped  upon  the  coarser  article  of  earthen-ware. 

Other  specimens  of  Assyrian  art,  showing  still  greater  perfection  and  pro- 
gress in  it  might  be  evidenced.  China  is  by  no  means  destitute  of  interest 
in  this  particular,  and  many  cases  might  be  cited  to  show  the  existence  of 
an  art,  closely  approximating  to  that  of  Printing,  long  before  it  was  known 
to  the  nations  of  Europe.  But  it  is  not  my  purpose  to  give  a  full  and  per- 
fect expose  of  this  subject,  the  readers  of  these  pages  will  expect  nothing 
more  than  a  mere  glance  at  the  art  in  its  progress  to  the  era  of  its  perfec- 
tion, if  indeed  it  may  be  said  to  have  arrived  at  that  proud  eminence  now. 

Although  it  is  fair  and  safe  to  assume  that  the  art,  in  the  rude  state  I 
have  mentioned,  existed  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  old  world,  it  is^  a  no 
less  remarkable  fact,  that  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  original  and  in- 
genious as  they  were,  scarcely  a  vestige  has  been  left  by  them  to  show  their 
knowledge  of  its  existence. 

Nothing  can  be  shown  as  evidencing  the  existence  of  a  knowledge  of  the 
art  of  transferring  characters,  even  among  nations  comparatively  civilized, 
from  the  times  above  referred  to,  until  the  intervention  of  a  vast  lapse  of 
time,  when  an  attempt  v/as  made  at  engraving  pictures  upon  blocks  of  wood. 
Upon  this  point  great  diversity  of  opinion  exists  as  to  time,  but  I  believe 
the  best  v/riters  on  the  fine  arts  concur  in  the  opinion  that  the  art  was  in- 
vented in  the  latter  part  of  the  thirteenth  century,  by  a  "brother  and  sister 
of  the  illustrious  family  of  Cunio,  lords  of  Ivnola,  in  Italy."  The  book  made 
by  these  youthful  artists,  for  they  were  twins,  and  oaly  sixteen  years  of  age, 
is  the  first  evidence  we  have  of  block-printing. — If  any  of  my  readers  have 
the  curiosity  to  examine  this  subject  more  particularly,  I  would  refer  them 
to  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  edited  by  Professor  Napier. 

Thus  far  the  art  was  confined  to  single  blocks,  and  its  progress  slow  and 
tedious.  Venice  furnishes  good  evidence  of  the  existence  of  this  art  among 
its  inhabitants  at  an  early  day,  and  from  an  edict  issued  by  the  government, 


XI 


bearing  date  1441,  interdicting  the  importation  of  "work  of  the  said  art  that 
is  printed  or  painted  on  cloth  or  on  paper,  that  is  to  say,  altar-pieces  (or  im- 
ages), and  playing  cards,"  it  is  clearly  evident  that  the  art  was  by  no  means 
confined  to  the  Venetians,  but  had  spread  over  the  continent  to  such  a  de- 
gree as  to  seriously  threaten  the  prosperity  of  the  artists  of  that  city.  As 
connected  somewhat  with  the  Art  of  Printing,  I  will  here  state,  although  the 
particular  time  cannot  be  settled,  that  playing  cards  were  in  existence  in 
1254,  for  in  that  year  they  were  interdicted  by  St.  Louis  on  his  return  from 
the  Crusade — and  also  by  the  Council  of  Cologne  in  1281.  They  were  first 
introduced  into  Germany  in  1300. 

From  single  blocks,  the  next  advance  in  the  art  of  Printing  was  by  a  series 
of  blocks,  and  it  was  by  this  means  that  the  first  books  were  printed,  among 
the  most  important  of  which  was,  the  "Historiae  Veteris  et  Novi  Testament! 
seu  Biblia  Pauperum."  Its  extent  was  forty  leaves,  printed  on  one  side,  and 
on  as  many  separate  and  distinct  blocks — the  blank  sides  of  the  sheets  then 
pasted  together,  forming  one  leaf.  It  has  been  impossible  to  locate  the  ex- 
act time  at  which  this  book  was  printed,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  been 
somewhere  between  1420  and  1430. 

Passing  over  minor  points,  and  I  have  been  compelled  to  do  so  in  more  in- 
stances than  one,  I  am  now  brought  to  that  most  important  and  interesting 
era  in  the  Art  of  Printing,  in  the  true  and  literal  signification  of  that  term; 
and  which  also  involves  the  perplexing  and  atill  agitated  question,  as  to 
where  and  by  whom  was  it  invented? — Similar  contentions  have  arisen  upon 
other  subjects — the  birth-place  of  Homer  was  claimed  and  stoutly  contended 
for  by  many  cities,  all  deeming  it  an  especial  honor  to  have  given  to  the 
world  so  illustrious  a  personage.  So  with  the  Art  of  Printing.  Harlem, 
Strasbourg,  and  Mentz,  claim  to  have  been  the  nursery  from  which  sprung 
an  art  which  has  exercised  such  a  mighty  power  and  influence  on  civiliza- 
tion, and  contributed  in  so  eminent  a  manner  to  the  cultivation  of  the  hu- 
man intellect.  Other  places  have  interposed  their  claims,  but  there  seems  to 
be  no  proof  to  sustain  them.  The  best  writers  upon  this  subject,  indeed  it 
seems  to  be  almost  universally  admitted,  agree  that  to  one  of  the  three 
cities  above  named,  belongs  the  honor  in  question. 

It  will  not  be  expected  that  I  shall  go  at  length  into  the  discussion  as  to 
the  place,  or  to  whom,  belongs  the  honor  of  the  invention  of  Printing  in  its 
true  sense.  To  do  so  would  occupy  too  much  space,  and  would,  after  all,  be 
an  unprofitable  discussion. 

Harlem  interposes  a  claim  for  one  of  its  citizens,  Laurence  Koster,  or 
Laurent  Janszoon  Koster  (or  Gustos.)  The  support  of  this  claim  rests 
mainly  upon  the  narrative  in  the  Bataviae  of  Hadrinus  Junius,  written  in 
1575,  and  published  in  1588.  But  little  credit  is  given  to  the  truth  of  this 
narrative— some  calling  in  question,  (and  among  that  number  Santander),  the 
very  existence  of  such  a  man  as  Koster!  There  are  others,  who  being  un- 
able to  decide  between  the  conflicting  claims,  are  willing  to  divide  the  hon- 


XII 


or,  and  while  they  are  disposed  to  concede  to  others  the  credit  of  the  discov- 
ery of  Printing  with  moveable  types,  claim  for  Koster  the  merit  of  inventing 
printing  from  blocks. 

From  the  best  reading  I  have  been  able  to  give  the  subject,  although  as 
I  have  said  before,  there  are  conflicting  claims,  and  backed  as  some  of  them 
are  by  ingenious  and  plausible  arguments,  still  I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion 
that  to  John  Gutenberg,  a  native  of  Mentz,  belongs  the  discovery  of  the  Art 
of  Printing.  The  proof  in  favor  of  this  proposition,  to  my  mind,  is  full  and 
satisfactory.  The  story  of  his  having  stolen  the  types  of  Koster,  is  too  ri- 
diculous to  need  even  an  attempt  at  refutation. 

The  first  printed  edition  of  the  Bible,  from  cut  metal  types,  was  issued  by 
Gutenberg,  in  1450,  the  completion  of  which  is  said  to  have  taken  seven 
years — so  that  the  work  must  have  been  commenced  in  1443.  John  Fust 
(commonly  called  Faust,)  and  Peter  Schoeffer,  formerly  partners  of  Guten- 
berg, but  into  whose  hands  the  establishment  had  fallen  on  the  failure  of 
Gutenberg,  used  the  same  type  in  their  edition  of  the  Psalter  printed  in  1457 
and  1459.  The  edition  issued  in  1457,  is  the  first  book  ever  printed  bear- 
ing the  name  of  the  place  where  printed,  those  of  its  printers,  and  the  date 
of  the  year  when  printed! 

Gutenberg,  after  his  failure,  started  the  business  anew,  and  as  it  appears, 
with  complete  success,  for  in  1465,  he  abandoned  the  business,  and  "entered 
into  the  service  of  Elector  Adolphus  of  Nassau,  as  one  of  his  band  of  gen- 
tlemen pensioners,  with  a  handsome  salary,  as  appears  from  the  letters  pat- 
ent, dated  the  17th  of  January,  1465."  He  died  on  the  24th  of  February,  1468. 

Fust  and  SchoGffer  were  neither  of  them  original  Printers.  The  former 
was  a  wealthy  goldsmith,  and  the  latter,  a  scribe.  They  were  probably  in- 
duced to  enter  the  business  with  Gutenberg,  simply  as  a  matter  of  money- 
making. — There  is  no  doubt,  however,  but  they  contributed  very  greatly  to 
the  perfection  of  the  art  in  that  day.  To  Schoeffer  is  the  world  indebted 
for  the  first  suggestion  of  casting  type  in  matrices.  These  men  continued 
the  business,  and  in  addition  to  the  Psalter  issued  in  1457  and  1459,  they  al- 
so published  it  in  1490  and  1502,  and  what  is  a  little  remarkable,  it  was 
always  printed  on  the  same  type.  In  1460,  they  published  the  Constitutiones 
Clementis  V.,  and  in  1462,  the  celebrated  Latin  Bible.  Fust  lived  but  a  few 
years  to  enjoy  this  triumph  of  his  art,  for  he  was  carried  off  by  the  plague, 
in  Paris,  about  the  year  1466.  Schoeffer  survived  him  many  years,  and  is 
supposed  to  have  died  in  1502. 

A  controversy  has  existed  in  England  as  to  when,  and  by  whom.  Printing 
was  introduced  into  that  country.  In  my  judgment,  however,  no  serious  dif- 
ficulty exists  in  this  matter.  To  William  Caxton  no  doubt  belongs  the  honor 
of  first  introducing  the  art  into  England.  This  has  been  denied,  and  the 
chaplet  sought  to  be  placed  upon  the  brow  of  Frederick  Corsellis — but  the  at- 
tempt has  utterly  failed.  It  has  been  supposed,  also,  that  the  first  printing 
was  done  at  Oxford,  but  thisi  falls  to  the  ground  with  the  attempt  to  rob 


XIII 


Caxton  of  the  honor  due  his  name,  for  the  first  printing  done  in  England, 
was  a  book  Issued  by  him,  from  his  press  established  at  Westminster,  prob- 
ably in  one  of  the  chapels  attached  to  the  Abbey,  entitled  the  "Game  of 
Chess."  The  completion  of  this  work  took  place  on  the  last  day  of  March, 
1474,  and  from  this  must  be  dated  the  dawn  of  liie  Art  of  Printing  in  Old 
England.    Caxton  died  in  1494,  aged  82  years. 

Printing  may  be  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  Colonies  of  America, 
in  January,  1639,  for  in  that  year  a  Press  and  Types  arrived,  having  been 
shipped  from  England  by  the  Rev.  Jesse  Glover,  who,  however,  died  on  the 
passage.  The  Printer  engaged  to  accompany  the  Press  from  England,  Ste- 
phen Daye,  on  arriving  at  Cambridge,  Mass,  set  up  the  business,  and  the 
first  work  that  emanated  from  this  attempt  to  introduce  Printing  into  the 
Colonies,  was  the  "Freeman's  Oath,"  which  was  followed  by  an  Almanac. 
To  show  the  favorable  light  in  which  this  undertaking  was  viewed,  at  that 
early  day,  th'j  following  may  be  taken  as  evidence.  It  is  from  the  records 
of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts: 

"Att  a  General  Court  held  att  Boston,  on  the  eighth  Day  of  the  eighth 
moneth,  1641,  Steeven  Daye  being  the  first  that  sett  upon  Printing,  is  graunt- 
ed  300  acres  of  land,  where  it  may  be  convenient  without  prejudice  to  any 
town." 

Printers  at  that  early  day,  like  those  of  the  Craft  in  more  modern  times, 
were  by  no  means  exempted  from  the  ills  of  life — for  in  1642,  it  appears  from 
the  Records,  that  Daye  was  under  the  necessity  of  pledging  one  of  his  lots 
in  Cambridge,  to  secure  the  payment  "for  a  cow,  calf,  and  heifer" — that  in 
1643,  for  some  dereliction  of  duty,  the  particulars  of  which  are  not  stated, 
the  "Court  ordered  that  Steeven  Daye,  shall  be  released,  giving  £100  bond 
for  his  appearance."  In  1649,  he  becoming  embarrassed  with  debts,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Samuel  Green.    In  1668,  Daye  died. 

In  1660,  Marmake  Johnson,  a  Printer,  was  sent  over  from  England,  with 
another  Press  and  Types,  which  also  was  established  at  Cambridge,  and  the 
particular  design  of  which  was  to  print  the  Bible  in  the  Indian  language. 
Johnson  brought  a  letter  with  him  from  his  patrons  in  England,  which, 
among  other  things,  contains  the  following  very  singular  announcement: 

"We  have  out  of  our  desire,  to  further  a  worke  of  soe  great  consernment 
[the  printing  of  the  Bible  in  question]  agreed  with  an  able  Printer  for 
three  years  upon  the  terms  and  condition,  enclosed.  Mr.  Johnson,  the  Print- 
er, and  for  his  incurrageraent  in  this  undertaking  of  printing  the  bible  in 
the  Indian  language,  his  name  may  bee  mentioned  with  others  as  a  Printer 
and  person  that  hath  bine  instrumentall  therein;  for  whose  diet,  lodging 
and  washing  wee  desire  you  to  take  care  of." 

Johnson  was  unfortunate — got  into  difficulty — was  fined  by  the  Court — 
turned  out  of  employment  when  the  Bible  was  completed,  and  finally  died 
in  1675.  Green,  who  succeeded  Daye,  carried  on  the  business  at  Cambridge 
for  fifty  years,  and  died  in  1702,  aged  87. 


XIV 


These  men,  therefore,  GLOVER,  DAYE,  GREEN,  and  JOHNSON,  may  be 
regarded  as  the  Fathers  of  the  Art  on  this  Continent.  It  is  impossible  at 
this  day  to  tell  the  trials  and  adverse  fortunes,  the  perplexities  and  the 
hardships,  through  which  they  had  to  pass.  That  they  were  many  and  griev- 
ous, I  can  well  imagine.  But  they  were  the  pioneers  in  a  glorious  under- 
taking and  thrice  gloriously  has  it  succeeded! 

At  the  dates  above  enumerated,  no  newspaper  had  yet  been  published  in 
the  Colonies,  nor  was  there,  until  1704,  April  20,  when  the  first  number  of 
the  News  Letter,"  by  John  Campbell,  Printer,  book-seller,  and  Post-Master, 
was  issued  at  Boston,  In  1693,  William  Bradford  commenced  the  Printing 
Business  in  New  York. — This  was  the  dawn  of  Printing  in  the  "Empire 
State."  What  mighty  revolutions  have  since  been  wrought!  From  the 
fountain  thus  established,  innumerable  streams  have  sprung  into  existence, 
fertilizing  and  enriching  the  proud  domains  of  Art,  Literature,  and  Science, 
until  our  noble  State  has  assumed  a  commanding  pre-eminence  among  the 
sisters  of  this  mighty  Republic!  Long  may  she  occupy  that  enviable  posi- 
tion. 

This  much  have  I  deemed  it,  not  only  proper,  but  necessary  to  say,  before 
entering  upon  subjects  that  more  properly  and  legitimately  belong  to  the 
"History  of  the  Press  in  Western  New- York."  It  struck  me,  and  I  doubt  not 
it  will  be  so  viewed  by  the  Craft  generally,  that  it  would  be  essentially 
proper  to  give  this  running  account  of  the  earliest  introduction  of  Printing 
into  this  country. — Thus  a  foundation  has  been  laid  for  what  may  follow. 

FREDERICK  FOLLETT. 

Batavia,  March  16,  1847. 


XV 


History  of 
The  Press  in  Western  New- York 


It  may  be  well  before  going  any  further,  to  settle  the  bounds  of  the  field 
marked  out  by  the  Committee  of  the  Franklin  Festival,  in  which  I  am  to 
labor.  Originally,  it  was  denominated  the  "Genesee  County,"  but  now  wears 
the  distinctive  appellation  of  "Western  New-York"  and  embraces,  if  I  am  cor- 
rectly informed,  that  portion  of  the  State  lying  west  of  a  line  running  north 
and  south  through  Seneca  Lake.  Its  settlement  may  probably  be  said  to 
have  commenced  about  the  year  1787.  An  enumeration  of  its  inhabitants 
in  1790,  showed  a  population  of  1100.  What  a  contrast  with  the  Western 
New- York  at  the  present  day.  The  Counties  handed  over  to  me  for  the  pur- 
pose of  the  present  publication  are  Alleghany,  Cattaraugus,  Cayuga,  Chau- 
tauque,  Chemung,  Erie,  Genesee,  Livingston,  Monroe,  Niagara,  Orleans,  On- 
tario, Seneca,  Steuben,  Tompkins,  Wayne,  and  Yates,  These  counties,  or 
most  of  them  at  all  events,  belong  to  what  may,  perhaps,  with  propriety,  be 
denominated  Western  New-York — but  some  of  them  are  without  the  pale  of 
what  may  be  fairly  termed  the  "Genesee  Country."  The  territory  embraced 
in  the  above  counties,  contained,  as  appears  by  the  census  of  1845,  a  pop- 
ulation of  682,823.  In  the  s^iort  space  of  fifty-nine  years,  what  a  complete 
change  has  come  over  the  face  of  the  country — then,  a  howling  wilderness 
— now,  converted  into  cities  and  villages! — then,  peopled  by  bands  of  roving 
savages, — now,  teeming  with  a  dense  population  of  hardy  and  industrious 
men,  through  whose  toil  the  wilderness  has  literally  been  made  to  blossom 
like  the  rose!  This  is  the  result  of  civilization,  coupled  with  industry,  in- 
telligence, and  Indomitable  perseverance. 

STEUBEN  COUNTY 

This  County  seems  to  be  the  first  in  which  an  attempt  was  made  to  estab- 
lish a  Newspaper  Press  in  Western  New  York.  In  1796,  William  Kersey  and 
James  Edie,  commenced  at  Bath,  the  publication  of  a  paper  entitled  the 
"Bath  Gazette  and  Genesee  Advertiser." 

In  1816  or  '17,  David  Rumsey  commenced,  at  Bath,  the  publication  of  the 
"Bath  Gazette." 

About  the  same  time  Benjamin  Smead  started  a  paper  called  the  "Steu- 
ben Patriot,"  to  which  was  soon  after  appended,  "and  Allegany,"  making  the 
amended  title  read,  "Steuben  &  Allegany  Patriot." 

In  the  fall  of  1819,  Erastus  Shepard  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
"Western  Republican,"  and  continued  it  until  1822,  when  the  materials  went 
back  to  Elmira,  and  the  publisher  to  an  eight  years'  foremanship  in  the  office 
of  James  Bogart,  at  Geneva. 


1 


Charles  Williamson,  if  I  mistake  not,  is  considered  as  the  founder  of  Bath. 
He  was  the  agent  of  some  foreign  land-owners  in  Western  New- York,  which 
was  the  means,  no  doubt,  of  imparting  to  him,  and  to  his  acts,  an  influence 
far  greater  than  was  possessed  by  others.  His  imagination,  I  am  told,  did 
not  stop  at  the  founding  of  a  Village,  but  soared  in  the  prospective,  to  the 
development  of  the  resources  of  a  City.  For  this  purpose,  a  race  course 
was  laid  out,  a  Press  was  established,  and  various  things  were  done,  which 
were  deemed  essential  by  him  to  mark  the  founding  of  a  magnificent  city — 
at  least  in  the  imagination!  The  great  power  and  influence  of  the  "Pa- 
troon  of  the  West,"  as  Mr.  Williamson  was  sometimes  called,  did  not  save 
the  "Gazette  &  Advertiser"  from  a  fate  too  common  among  similar  establish- 
ments of  a  later  day.  How  long  it  managed  to  keep  up  an  existence — what 
became  of  its  materials  or  its  publishers,  are  questions  entirely  out  of  my 
power  to  answer. 

Benjamin  Smead  relinquished  the  business  to  two  of  his  sons  in  1824  or 
*25,  and  the  paper  has  since  been  published  under  the  title  of  the  "Farmer's 
Advocate." 

David  Rumsey,  who  made  the  attempt  in  1816  or  '17,  to  revive  the  old 
Gazette,  was  from  Salem,  Washington  County.  The  attempt  seems  not  to 
have  been  a  successful  one,  as  the  paper  was  continued  only  about  a  year, 
when  the  materials  were  disposed  of  to  Mr.  Cowdery,  who  took  them  to 
"Clean  Point." 

Thus  have  I  been  compelled  to  turn  off  "Old  Steuben,"  with  a  mere  skele- 
ton picture  of  what  her  press  is,  and  has  been.  This  is  no  fault  of  mine, 
neither  is  it  the  fault  of  the  Committee  who  originally  had  this  matter  in 
charge.  It  is  the  more  to  be  regretted,  as  Steuben  was  the  first  county  in 
which  an  attempt  was  made  in  Western  New  York  to  establish  a  Newspaper 
Press. — The  Printers  of  that  county  have  been  desired  to  furnish  the  data 
upon  which  a  more  full  and  perfect  sketch  of  its  rise  and  progress  could 
have  been  traced.    They  have  failed  to  do  it,  with  them  rests  the  fault. 

ONTARIO  COUNTY 

The  next  County  in  order,  in  which  the  Printing  business  was  etablished, 
is  Ontario  County.  Lucius  Carey,  in  1797,  tempted  by  the  love  of  gain,  or 
the  more  philanthropic  principle  of  spreading  light  and  knowledge  into  the 
dark  recesses  of  an  almost  unpeopled  country,  selected  Geneva,  as  his  head 
quarters,  from  which  he  issued  the  "Geneva  Gazette  and  Genessee  Adverti- 
ser." Either  the  good  people  of  Geneva  did  not  appreciate  the  motives 
which  induced  Mr.  Carey  to  come  among  them,  or  for  some  other  good  and 
satisfactory  cause,  and  which  I  am  unable  to  say,  for  the  records  of  the 
times  are  blind  on  this  subject,  true  it  is,  however,  that  the  attempt  was  a 
failure,  for  soon  after,  he  removed  the  establishment  to  Canandaigua,  and 
in  1802  sold  it  to  a  company  of  "ten  federalists,"  who  procured  it  to  be  "pub- 


2 


lished  for  the  proprietors,"  by  John  K.  Gould,  who  had  previously  been  em- 
ployed in  the  office  of  the  Albany  Sentinel.  Under  this  arrangement,  in  May, 
1803,  the  first  number  of  the  "Western  Repository  and  Genesee  Advertiser" 
was  given  to  the  world,  the  "Salam  Editorial"  being  from  the  pen  of  Nathan- 
iel W.  Howell. 

The  paper  was  thus  continued  until  October,  1804,  when  James  D.  Bemis 
became  interested  in  the  establishment  as  Joint  proprietor  with  Mr.  Gould. 
Mr.  B.  soon  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  paper,  and  in  1828  disposed  of  it 
to  Morse  &  Harocy.  Various  proprietors  have  since  that  period,  been  in- 
terested in  the  publication  of  the  "Repository,"  until  at  the  present  time, 
it  is  in  the  hands  of  George  L.  Whitney. 

Opposition,  says  the  old  adage,  is  the  life  of  business,  and  the  "Repository 
and  Advertiser"  were  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy,  like  Alexander  Selkirk, 
the  consciousness  of  undisputed  monarchy,  for  1806  ushered  into  existence 
the  "Ontario  Messenger,"  by  John  A.  Stevens. 

Isaac  Tiffany  was  the  projector  of  the  "Ontario  Freeman,"  a  little  paper 
started  in  the  same  village  in  1803.  Its  light  was  soon  after  extinguished, 
and  all  memorial  of  its  doings  have  passed  away  with  it. 

Eben  Eaton,  whose  brother  was  somewhat  conspicuous  in  the  famous  Trip- 
oli expedition,  started  a  paper  at  Geneva  in  1800,  called  the  "Impartial  Ob- 
server and  Seneca  Museum."    It  lived  but  a  short  time. 

The  "Geneva  Gazette,"  by  James  Bogart,  was  established  at  the  delightful 
village  of  Geneva,  at  the  foot  of  Seneca  Lake,  in  the  year  1806. 

A.  N.  Phelps,  started  a  paper  called  the  "Republican,"  at  Canandaigua,  in 
1824.  It  soon  after  passed  into  the  hands  of  Thomas  B.  Barnum,  and  was 
finally  discontinued. 

Another  paper  was  for  a  time  published  in  the  same  village  by  George 
Wilson  and  O.  P.  Jackson — but  no  particulars  have  been  furnished  in  rela- 
tion to  it. 

W.  W.  Phelps  commenced  in  Canandaigua,  in  1827,  an  Anti-masonic  paper, 
with  the  title  of  "Phoenix,"  which  soon  after  passed  into  the  hands  of  R. 
Royce,  and  changed  its  name  to  that  of  "Freeman" — in  1836  it  was  joined  to 
the  "Repository,"  which  paper  was  then  in  the  hands  of  Orville  L.  Holley, 
and  finally  its  name  has  become  extinct. 

In  1824  a  small  paper  had  its  rise  in  the  village  of  Naples.  It  was  called 
the  "Village  Record."  Who  claims  the  honor  of  bringing  it  into  existence, 
or  when  it  took  its  exit,  is  more  than  I  am  able  to  chronicle. 

This,  so  far  as  I  have  been  furnished  ^ith  the  material,  comprises  the 
sum  total  of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  the  County  of  Ontario;  and  I  am  sorry 
to  say  it  is  woefully  deficient  in  many  of  its  parts.  But  what  has  become 
of  the  men  who  figured  in  their  establishment:    To  this  inquiry  I  propose 


3 


to  devote  a  brief  space,  and  will  endeavor,  so  far  as  it  can  be  done,  to  ans- 
wer the  Interrogatory. 

Of  Lucius  Carey,  the  nan  who  first  planted  the  standard  of  the  Newspaper 
Press  In  Ontario  County,  I  regret  to  say  no  means  are  at  my  disposal  to 
trace  his  personal  history  from  the  time  he  disposed  of  his  establishment  in 
1802.  It  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  however,  that  he  has  long  since  worked 
off  his  last  page,  and  been  distributed  in  the  case  prepared  for  all  beings. 
I  regret  that  so  little  is  known  of  his  early  history,  but  am  unable  to  sup- 
ply the  deficiency. 

John  K.  Gould,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Carey  and  published  the  paper  for  the 
"proprietors,"  died  in  1808.  As  an  interesting  reminiscence  in  the  history  of 
the  "Repository  and  Advertiser,"  it  may  be  stated  that  Judge  Howell,  who 
wrote  its  prospectus,  still  lives  to  peruse  its  columns  in  the  44th  year  of  Its 
existence!  Blest  with  age  and  honors,  he  has  survived;  a  living  witness 
to  the  mighty  improvements  that  have  been  going  on  around  him. 

James  D.  Bemis  who  became  Interested  with  Mr.  Gould,  in  the  publication 
of  the  "Repository  and  Advertiser,"  in  1804,  Is  still  living  at  Canandaigua. 
Mr.  B.  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  Printing,  Bookselling  and  Binding 
in  that  village. 

I  will  here  state,  that  in  relation  to  Mr.  Bemis,  I  shall  be  a  little  more  par- 
ticular, and  give  the  facts  in  his  case  a  little  more  minutely,  than  I  shall 
do  in  other  cases.  His  age — the  position  he  occupies  in  relation  to  the  Press 
In  Western  New  York,  demands  this  much  at  my  hands.  Mr.  B.  first  came 
to  Canandaigua,  15th  January,  1804,  and  was  then  about  21  years  of  age. 
His  first  business  was  the  establishment  of  a  Bookstore,  being  In  partnership 
with  the  proprietors  of  the  Albany  Bookstore.  In  October  of  the  same  year, 
he  sold  out  to  Myron  HoUey,  and  was  then  induced  to  buy  one  half  of  the 
Printing  establishment,  for  which  he  paid  $700.  In  1810  he  purchased  back 
the  bookstore  of  Mr.  Holley,  and  added  to  the  establishment  a  Bindery.  He 
was  also  Agent  for  Ink  Makers,  Type  Founders  and  Press  Manufacturers. 
By  the  way,  however,  for  many  years  he  made  his  own  Ink. 

Previous  to  the  opening  of  the  Canal  in  1825,  Mr.  Bemis  was  very  exten- 
sively engaged  in  the  Book  and  Stationery  business.  Instead  of  procuring 
articles  In  either  branch  of  business  in  New-York,  as  is  now  the  case,  Mer- 
chants were  very  generally  through  the  West,  supplied  from  his  establish- 
ment, swelling  his  sales  from  20  to  $30,000  a  year.  The  whole  of  this  Im- 
mense business,  aside  and  in  connection  with  the  other  branches  of  industry 
in  which  he  was  engaged,  was  done  under  his  own  eye.  He  was  thus  com- 
pelled to  work  all  day — and,  to  keep  up  the  Editorial  department  of  his  paper, 
and  his  private  correspondence,  write  half  the  night. 

Many  apprentices  have  gone  forth  from  his  employ,  and  many  of  them  can 
bear  ample  testimony  to  the  substantial  benefits  they  have  received^  In  their 


4 


efforts  to  buffet  the  waves  of  fortune,  at  his  hands.  These  efforts  have  al- 
ways been  received  with  favor  by  him,  and  he  has  never  been  backward  in 
contributing  to  their  complete  success.  He  is  the  oldest  representative  of 
the  Newspaper  Press  in  Western  New-York,  now  living,  and  is  looked  upon 
with  no  little  veneration  and  regard  by  those  who  are  now  actively  engaged 
in  that  branch  of  business. 

It  must  be  recollected  that  in  1803,  the  "Repository  and  Advertiser"  was 
the  only  medium  for  the  distribution  of  the  intelligence  of  the  day,  west  of 
Utica — that  its  materials  were  rude  and  uncouth — yet  at  this  establishment 
was  done  all  the  Job  work  for  the  land  offices,  together  with  the  legal  and 
business  advertising,  for  all  the  region  west  of  Onondaga,  and  in  some  in- 
stances, from  Canada.  Its  circulation  was  about  1000.  The  mode  of  circu- 
lating papers,  at  that  day,  is  by  no  means  devoid  of  interest — but  I  am  dis- 
posed to  let  Mr.  Bemis  tell  it  in  his  own  way:  — 

"Not  the  least  interesting  part  of  the  "Repository"  establishment,  was  the 
post-riding,  or  mode  of  distribution,  which  affords  an  amusing  contrast  to 
the  present  lightning  way  of  doing  things.  The  most  important  route  was 
the  western,  and  he  who  supplied  it  was,  in  those  days,  of  as  great  conse- 
quence as  is  now  the  superintendent  of  a  railroad.  Imagine  a  small,  hump- 
back, cross-eyed,  deaf — old  man — and  you  may  see  honest  Ezra  Metcalf,  who 
was  as  trustworthy  as  he  was  ugly — mounted  on  a  skunk  horse,  and  you 
have  the  post-rider.  And  now  for  his  business:  In  an  old-fashioned  pair  of 
saddle-bags,  were  stowed  from  150  to  200  papers.  On  the  top  of  this  was 
a  small  portmanteau,  containing  the  United  States  Mail,  with  a  padlock;  but 
whether  the  key  was  intrusted  to  the  rider,  as  it  might  safely  have  been,  is 
not  remembered.  Thus  mounted,  with  tin  horn  in  hand,  which  he  blew  when 
he  got  in  the  saddle,  he  set  off, 

'The  herald  of  a  noisy  world, 
News  from  all  quarters  lumbering  at  his  back.' 

'  The  arrival  and  departure  of  'old  uncle  Ezra,'  was  an  event,  and  caused 
a  gathering  of  divers  citizens,  who  felt  as  much  anxiety  about  It,  and  what 
he  carried  and  fetched,  as  do  our  citizens  for  the  movements  of  the  railroad 
cars.  Errands  were  sent  by  him,  and  he  always  had  some  word  from  our 
neighbors  who  lived  thirty  or  a  hundred  miles  off.  Once  In  three  months 
he  would  bring  from  the  postmasters  at  Fort  Niagara,  Lewlston,  Buffalo, 
Batavia,  and  other  settlements,  lists  of  letters  to  be  published.  His  route 
from  Canandaigua  and  back,  was  as  follows:  first,  via  Boughton  Hill  and 
Mann's  Mills  to  Northfield,  and  the  Genesee  River,  which  he  forded.  This 
was  a  point  where  a  tavern,  a  saw-mill,  and  a  few  other  'improvements,' 
were  found.  Thence  north  to  Handford's  Landing,  perhaps  to  Charlotte,  at 
the  River's  mouth,  where  was  a  store-house,  and  a  few  other  buildings;  then 
back  to  the  Ridge  Road,  which  led  by  Oak  Orchard  at  Lewlston,  then  down 
to  Youngstown  and  Fort  Niagara.    Returning  to  Lewlston,  he  went  up  the 


8 


River  to  the  Falls,  and  to  New  Amsterdam,  on  Buffalo  Creek,  an  Indian  trad- 
ing place  where  the  whites  had  a  few  stores.  This  was  his  western  termin- 
us. Homeward,  he  came  by  the  Four  Mile  Creek,  Eleven  Mile  Creek,  and 
Vandeventer's  to  Batavia,  the  seat  of  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  a 
place  of  some  note;  thence  to  Ganson's  Settlement,  the  Genesee  River 
through  Hartford,  Charleston,  and  Bloomfield,  and  Canandaigua,  where  he 
was  waited  for  every  Saturday,  having  been  five  days  in  performing  his  cir- 
cuit." 

This  is  a  primitive  picture,  but  many  is  the  man  and  the  woman  still  liv- 
ing, who  can  bear  witness  to  its  truthfulness— who  can  well  remember  the 
almost  feverish  anxiety  with  which  the  day  of  the  coming  of  "old  Ezra"  was 
looked  for  by  the  tenants  of  the  vast  wilderness,  and  the  joy  or  sorrow  ho 
was  wont  to  bring  among  them,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  despatches  of 
which  he  was  the  bearer.  The  above  is  also  a  picture  of  early  Printing  in 
Western  New- York.  I  can  only  hope  that  Mr.  Bemi6,  one  of  its  earliest  pio- 
neers, may  yet  long  be  spared  among  us,  as  a  noble  monument  of  fair  and 
upright  dealing — and  that  when  he  shall  be  finally  gathered  to  his  fathers, 
he  may  be  welcomed  with,  "well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 

Isaac  Tiffany,  the  founder  of  the  "Ontario  Freeman,"  in  1803,  was  original- 
ly from  New-Hampshire.  He  first  settled  at  Niagara,  U.  C,  where  he  was  for 
a  time,  Government,  or  King's  Printer.  His  widow,  who  over  fifty  years  ago 
bore  him  company  from  his  native  state,  is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of 
Lockport.  He  was  the  father  of  Judge  Tiffany,  of  Adrian,  Michigan.  The 
time  of  his  death  is  not  known. 

John  A.  Stevens  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Ontario  Messenger" 
in  1806.  He  was  a  kind,  affectionate  and  good  hearted  man,  and  very 
generally  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.    He  died  some  fifteen  years  since. 

James  Bogart,  in  1806,  established  the  "Geneva  Gazette,"  and  continued 
at  its  head  for  27  years.  The  same  paper  is  still  continued,  but  it  is  in  other 
hands,  and  whose  I  am  unable  to  learn  from  the  materials  placed  in  my 
hands.  These  omissions  are  perplexing,  but  the  fault  is  not  mine.  Mr.  Bo- 
gart after  leaving  the  Press  has  been  Collector  of  Canal  Tolls  at  Geneva,  and 
still  occupies  a  prominent  position  among  the  intelligent  citizens  of  that 
thriving  and  delightful  Village. 

Of  Eben  Eaton,  I  can  say  nothing,  for  his  name  is  not  mentioned,  except 
that  he  established  a  paper  at  Geneva  in  1800. 

A.  N.  Phillips,  who  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Republican"  at  Can- 
andaigua in  1824,  was  a  nephew  of  the  somewhat  celebrated  M.  M.  Noah,  of 
New- York — he  continued  its  publication  for  a  short  time — sold  out,  and  re- 
turned to  New- York.    If  I  mistake  not  he  is  dead.    He  was  succeeded  by 

Thomas  B.  Barnum,  who  continued  the  paper  for  a  few  years.  Mr.  B.  was 
a  young  man  of  respectable  acquirements,  but  before  time  and  experience 


6 


had  given  scope  for  their  full  and  complete  development,  he  was  called  to 
his  last  account. 

W.  W.  Phelps  started  the  "Phoenix"  In  1827,  the  year  succeeding  the  out- 
rage upon  the  person  of  Morgan.  The  paper  was  intended  as  an  organ  of 
the  Antimasonic  party,  which  by  that  time  had  begun  to  assume  a  political 
aspect.  It  soon  after  passed  into  the  hands  of  R.  Royce,  of  whom  I  know 
nothing.  Of  Mr.  Phelps,  I  can  only  say,  that  he  has  left  the  Press,  and 
taken  to  the  Pulpit.  He  Joined  the  Mormons,  and  when  last  heard  from, 
he  was  at  Council  Bluffs. 

Orville  L.  Holley  was  for  a  time  at  the  head  of  the  "Repository"  establish- 
ment. He  is  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  talent,  and  while  under  his 
charge  that  paper  was  sustained  with  considerable  ability.  Mr.  H.  was  af- 
terwards Surveyor  General  of  the  State,  and  at  one  time,  if  I  mistake  not, 
associated  with  Mr.  Ward,  of  New-York,  in  the  publication  of  the  "Anti-Ma- 
sonic Review".  I  am  informed  he  is  now  a  resident  of  Troy,  and  has  been 
the  Editor  of  the  "Albany  Daily  Advertiser." 

Morse  &  Harvey  took  the  "Repository"  from  Mr.  Bemis.  In  1835,  Mr. 
Harvey  died.  Mr.  Morse  is  still  living,  but  not,  I  believe,  connected  with  the 
Printing  business.  Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Harvey,  the  paper  has  passed 
into  various  hands,  and  is  now  under  the  control  and  management  of 

George  L.  Whitney,  through  whose  exertions  and  preserverance  the  former 
creditable  reputation  of  the  paper  is  kept  up  and  sustained. 

I  regret  very  much  that  the  means  have  not  been  placed  within  my  reach 
by  which  the  history  of  the  "Ontario  Messenger"  could  be  traced  up  to  the 
present  time.  It  has  passed  through  many  hands  since  it  was  relinquished 
by  Mr.  Stevens.  At  one  time  it  was  under  the  control  of  Thomas  B.  Hahn, 
who  relinquished  it  on  being  appointed  postmaster  of  Canandaigua,  but  I 
cannot  tell  who  are  the  conductors  of  it  now. 

There  are  some  reminiscences  connected  with  the  "Messenger"  oiflce,  per- 
sonal to  the  writer  of  these  pages,  which  I  cannot  refrain  from  mentioning. 
It  was  the  first  Printing  Office  that  I  ever  beheld,  and  its  workings  were  A 
mystery,  too  deep  and  subtle  for  my  youthful  mind  to  fathom.  Having  a 
brother,  Oran  FoUett,  an  apprentice  in  that  office,  I  was  of  course  more  fre- 
quently led  to  visit  it  than  I  should  otherwise  have  done.  It  was  in  that 
office  that  I  obtained  the  first  money  that  I  ever  received  from  my  own  la- 
bor! The  amount  was  6^4  cents,  and  was  the  reward  for  my  labor  in  fold- 
ing a  certain  number  of  papers.  These  circumstances  were  no  doubt  the 
determining  points,  which  finally  Induced  me  to  become  a  Printer. 

MONROE  COUNTY 

Printing  was  first  introduced  into  what  now  constitutes  the  City  of  Roches- 
ter, and  present  limits  of  Monroe  County,  in  the  year  1816.    In  years  that 


7 


are  past,  the  site  of  that  city  was  familiarly  known  as  the  "Mill  Yard!"  In 
vain  does  the  early  settler  look  for  the  foot-path,  the  trail,  that  used  to  lead 
him  to  the  fording-place  of  Genesee  River.  It  is  not  so  much  the  lapse  of 
time  that  has  obliterated  these  old  land-marks,  as  it  is  the  progressive  and 
onward  march  of  the  arts  and  civilization.  These  have  stripped  the  land  of 
its  forest-trees — have  raised  those  many  and  valuable  monuments  of  taste, 
religion,  and  industry,  which  are,  I  might  almost  say,  the  peculiar  character- 
istics of  the  City  of  Rochester.  Forty  years  ago,  and  Rochester  was  sur- 
rounded and  embedded  in  a  wilderneiss — then,  instead  of  the  busy  hum  of 
life,  the  progress  of  the  destiny  of  man,  the  hammer  of  the  mechanic  and 
artlzan,  was  only  to  be  heard  the  roar  of  its  cataract,  the  notes  of  the  bird 
of  night,  or  the  howling  wolf!  But  a  change  has  come  over  the  face  of  na- 
ture, and  the  wild  and  picturesque,  have  receded  before  the  beautiful  and 
substantial  monuments  of  man's  genius  and  industry,  and  reveal  to  our  view 
the  City  of  Rochester  in  all  the  pride  of  its  young,  but  proud  spirit. 

Even  in  its  infant  state,  Rochester  had  excited  the  hopes  and  aspirations 
of  a  member  of  the  Craft.  To  the  mind  of  Augustine  G.  Dauby,  then  an  ap- 
prentice with  Ira  Merrill,  in  the  office  of  the  "Utica  Patriot,"  it  offered  in- 
ducements for  the  establishment  of  a  Printing  Press.  Accordingly,  early  in 
the  year  1816,  he  commenced  the  publication  of  a  small  sheet,  called  the 
"Rochester  Gazette."  Sometime  afterwards  John  Sheldon  became  associated 
with  him.  Mr.  S.,  I  believe,  continued  in  the  establishment  about  ten 
months,  and  then  removed  to  Detroit.  Oran  Follett  was,  for  a  brief  period, 
in  company  with  Mr.  Dauby.  In  1821,  he  disposed  of  the  establishment  to 
Levi  W.  Sibley.  After  the  separate  organization  of  Monroe  County,  the  ti- 
tle of  the  paper  was  changed  to  that  of  "Monroe  Republican,"  and  was  under 
the  charge  of  Derick  Sibley,  and  Levi  W.  Sibley,  until  November,  1825,  when  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Whittlesey  &  Mumford,  who,  In  company  with  Ed- 
win Scrantom,  continued  its  publication  until  July,  1827,  when  they  sold  out, 
and  it  was  merged  in  another  paper. 

In  1818,  July  7,  Everard  Peck  &  Co.,  in  connection  with  their  Book-Store, 
established  the  "Rochester  Telegraph,"  the  mechanical  department  of  which 
was  conducted  for  about  a  year  by  Derick  Sibley,  aided  by  his  brother,  L.  W. 
Sibley.  In  1824,  it  was  enlarged,  and  Thurlow  Weed  employed  as  Editor  of 
the  paper.  In  1825,  Mr.  Weed  purchased  the  establishment,  and,  with  Ro- 
bert Martin,  issued  it  semi-wekly  until  1827,  when  Mr.  Weed  withdrew 
from  the  concern,  and  during  the  year  1828,  it  was  published  daily  by  Mr. 
Martin. 

In  October,  1825,  Marshall,  Spalding  &  Hunt  established  the  "Rochester 
Album,"  which  continued  on  its  course  for  two  or  three  years— was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Martin,  and  united  with  the  Telegraph. 

On  the  25th  of  October  1826,  Luther  Tucker  &  Co.,  commenced  the  publica- 
tion of  the  "Rochester  Daily  Advertiser,"  issuing  in  connection  with  it  a  week- 


8 


ly,  called  the  "Rochester  Mercury."  In  1829,  Tucker  &  Martin  united  the 
two  daily  papers,  giving  it  the  name  of  the  "Rochester  Daily  Advertiser  and 
Telegraph,"  with  a  weekly,  the  "Rochester  Republican."— In  1830,  Hoyt  & 
Porter  took  the  place  of  Mr.  Martin,  and  Henry  O'Rielly  was  placed  in  the 
editorial  chair,  which  post  he  occupied  until  1838,  when  he  was  appointed 
Post  Master  of  Rochester,  and  Thomas  W.  Flagg  assumed  the  chair  which 
had  been  thus  vacated.  In  1840,  Thomas  H.  Hyatt  bought  the  establishment 
and  became  the  sole  proprietor.  On  the  1st  of  May,  1842,  another  revolu- 
tion in  the  establishment  took  place,  and  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Hiram 
Bumphrey  and  Cephas  S.  McConnell.  Joseph  Curtis,  on  the  1st  day  of  Jan- 
uary, 1844,  succeeded  Mr.  Bumphrey.  In  October,  1845,  McConnell  &  Cur- 
tis sold  the  establishment  to  Isaac  Butts,  and  in  October,  1846,  Harvey  L, 
Winants  was  admitted  as  a  partner,  under  the  firm  of  I.  Butts  &  Co.,  by 
whom  the  paper  is  now  conducted. 

The  events  of  1826,  called  into  existence.  In  January,  1828,  the  "Rochester 
Balance,"  by  D.  D.  Stephensen.  This  name,  however,  was  soon  after  dis- 
carded, and  "Anti-masonic  Enquirer"  substituted  in  its  place,  conducted  by 
Thurlow  Weed  and  Samuel  Heron.  In  February,  1829,  Daniel  N.  Sprague 
purchased  Mr.  Heron's  interest,  and  on  the  30th  March,  1830,  Mr.  Weed  re- 
tired, leaving  the  establishment  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Sprague,  who  continued 
it  until  the  20th  October,  1831,  when  Erastus  Shepard,  then  of  Palmyra, 
united  the  "Western  Spectator"  with  the  Enquirer — enlarged  the  paper,  and 
became  its  only  proprietor  until  November,  1832,  when  Alvah  Strong  was  ad- 
mitted a  partner,  and  by  them  the  paper  was  continued  until  February  18, 
1834,  at  which  time  another  establishment  was  united  with  it,  and  a  new 
paper  issued. 

Soon  after  the  Enquirer  was  started,  E.  J.  Roberts  commenced  the  publi- 
cation of  "The  Craftsman,"  which  was  published  for  about  a  year  and  a 
half,  and  was  then  discontinued. 

The  "Rochester  Observer,"  a  semi-monthly  religious  publication  was  com- 
menced in  1827,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sill,  who  hired  it  printed  by  L.  Tucker  & 
Co.  In  1828,  it  was  published  for  Samuel  Chipman,  by  Elisha  Loomis.  In 
1830,  it  was  printed  by  Albert  G.  Hall.  In  1832,  it  was  sold  to  Hoyt  &  Por- 
ter, who,  after  publishing  it  for  a  short  time,  transferred  its  subscription  list 
to  the  New-York  Evangelist. 

In  1828,  Peter  Cherry  commenced  the  publication  of  a  miscellaneous  paper, 
called  the  "Western  Wanderer," — soon  after  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Ed- 
win Scrantom,  and  assumed  the  title  of  the  "Rochester  Gem."  Mr.  Scrantom 
disposed  of  it  in  1833,  to  John  Denio.  In  1834,  Shepard  &  Strong  became  the 
proprietors,  and  its  publication  was  finally  discontinued  by  Strong  &  Daw- 
son, in  1843. 

The  "Genesee  Farmer"  sprung  into  existence  in  1830,  by  L.  Tucker  &  Co., 
edited  by  Naman  Goodsell.    It  was  started  a  weekly,  but  in  1832,  it  was  cn- 


9 


larged  and  published  monthly.  Mr.  Goodsell  left  the  establishment  about 
this  time,  and  brought  forward  "Goodsell's  Genesee  Farmer,"  which  was 
printed  by  George  Smith — it  soon  after  passed  into  the  hands  of  Shepard 
&  Strong,  and  was  by  them  discontinued.  Mr.  Tucker  continued  the  Genesee 
Farmer,  and  for  a  while  it  was  under  the  editorial  charge  of  H.  L.  Stevens 
— then  of  Wyllis  Gaylord,  of  Onondaga  County,  until  1839,  when  Mr.  Tucker 
removed  to  Albany,  where  it  was  united  with  the  "Cultivator," — Soon  after 
this,  Elihu  F.  Marshall  and  Michael  B.  Bateham,  started  the  "New  Genesee 
Farmer,"  which  was  placed  under  the  editorial  supervision  of  Mr.  Bateham, 
until  1841,  when  Henry  Coleman  became  Editor,  and  eventually  owner  of  the 
establishment.  In  December,  1842,  Charles  F.  Crosman  bought  the  paper, 
and  disposed  of  one  half  of  it  to  Mr.  Shepard.  It  was  continued  by  them 
until  1844,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Benjamin  F.  Smith  and  James 
P.  Fogg.  In  1845,  Daniel  D.  T.  Moore,  became  the  proprietor,  and  Dr.  Daniel 
Lee,  Editor,  with  P.  Barry  as  conductor  of  the  Horticultural  Department,  and 
il  is  thus  published  at  the  present  time. 

The  "National  Republican,"  a  weekly  paper,  by  Sidney  Smith,  was  com- 
menced in  the  spring  of  1831,  and  was  thus  continued  until  1833,  when  a 
daily  was  issued  from  the  same  office  until  the  winter  following,  when  Mr. 
S.  disposed  of  it  to  Shepard  &  Strong.  The  "Monroe  Democrat"  took  the 
place  of  the  National  Republican  and  of  the  Enquirer,  and  the  "Rochester 
Daily  Democrat"  that  of  the  Evening  Advertiser.  In  the  spring  of  1836, 
George  Dawson  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Democrat,  and  edited  the  papers 
until  August,  1839,  when  he  sold  out  to  the  other  partners.  In  April,  1842,  he 
again  became  interested  in  the  establishment,  purchasing  Mr.  Shepard'a  half 
of  it.  In  November,  1846,  Mr.  Dawson  sold  out  to  Henry  Cook  and  Samuel 
P.  Allen,  who,  in  company  with  Mr.  Strong,  now  carry  on  the  establishment. 

On  the  19th  of  October,  1839,  the  "Workingman's  Advocate,"  a  daily  paper, 
was  started  at  Rochester,  and  was  the  offspring  of  a  "strike"  among  the 
Journeymen  Printers  of  the  city.  A  press,  type,  and  other  material  was 
purchased  of  Delazon  Smith,  by  George  T.  Frost,  William  S.  Falls,  and  Cor- 
nelius S.  Underwood,  and  by  them  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Typographi- 
cal Association.  The  establishment  was  committed  to  the  care  of  Messrs. 
Underwood,  Falls  &  Frost,  and  the  editorial  department,  to  Henry  C.  Frink, 
who  at  the  same  time  discharged  the  duties  of  foreman  in  the  Book  and  Job 
ollice  of  William  Ailing.  A  weekly  paper  was  also  issued  from  the  same  office. 
About  the  first  of  April  following,  it  was  purchased  by  James  Vick,  jr.,  and 
George  T.  Frost,  and  its  name  changed  to  that  of  "Evening  Advocate."  Mr. 
Frost  afterwards  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Alonzo  Bennet.  It  was  thus  con- 
tinued for  about  a  year,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  John  I.  Reilly  & 
Co.,  and  was  merged  in  the  "Evening  Post."  This  firm  continued  the  Post, 
In  connection  with  a  large  weekly  called  the  "Western  New-Yorker,"  until 
the  first  of  January,  1843,  when  they  came  into  the  hands  of  Erastus  Shepard, 


10 


who  continued  them  until  the  November  following,  when  they  were  both  dis- 
continued. 

In  1840,  William  A.  Welles  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Rochester 
Daily  Whig,"  and  continued  it  through  the  political  campaign  of  that  year, 
when  it  was  thrown  up. 

Abiathar  M.  Harris  and  Thomas  H.  Hayatt  started  a  paper  at  Brockport, 
but  at  what  time,  I  am  unable  to  say.  It  was  afterwards  in  the  hands  of 
Jeremiah  O.  Balch,  and  at  a  still  later  period  in  the  hands  of  Ansel  Warren. 
A  paper  is  now  in  existence  in  that  village,  called  the  "Brockport  Watch- 
man," and  is  conducted  by  Edwin  T.  Bridges. 

A  paper  was  commenced  at  Honeoye  Falls,  in  1840,  by  Mr.  Hough.  How 
long  it  was  continued  is  not  stated. 

The  "Voice  of  Truth,  and  Glad  Tidings  of  the  Kingdom  at  Hand,"  a  week- 
ly Second  Advent  paper  was  commenced  on  the  1st  of  February,  1844,  by 
Elder  Joseph  Marsh,  who  still  continues  its  publication. 

On  the  23rd  of  December,  1844,  Leonard  Jerome  and  Josiah  M.  Patterson 
commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Rochester  Daily  American,"  Alexander 
Mann,  Editor.  A  weekly  paper  was  also  issued  at  the  same  time.  In  July, 
1845,  Lawrence  R.  Jerome  became  interested  as  co-partner  in  the  establish- 
ment, and  it  was  conducted  under  the  firm  of  J.  M.  Patterson  &  Co.  until 
January  1st,  1846,  when  it  became  the  property  of  Leonard  and  Lawrence 
R.  Jerome  exclusively,  by  whom  it  has  since  been  published,  under  the  Arm 
of  Jerome  &  Brother.  In  September,  1846,  Dr.  Daniel  Lee  became  associated 
with  Mr.  Mann  in  the  editorial  department,  and  in  March,  1847,  Reuben  D, 
Jones  became  one  of  the  editors  of  that  paper. 

The  "Genesee  Evangelist"  was  commenced  in  the  city  of  Rochester,  in  the 
spring  of  1846,  by  Rev.  John  E,  Robie.  It  is  respectable  in  size  and  appear- 
ance, and  is  said  to  be  the  first  weekly  religious  newspaper  in  the  nation 
which  has  an  existence  or  was  ever  projected  at  the  low  price  of  one  dollar 
a  year.  It  is  not  denominational  in  its  character,  though  its  editor  and  pro- 
prietor is  a  minister  in  one  of  the  evangelical  churches.  The  paper  is  said 
to  have  been  well  received  wherever  it  has  become  known,  and  to  bid  fair 
for  a  long  and  healthful  existence. 

The  "Genesee  Olio,"  a  literary  paper,  by  Franklin  Cowdrey — and  the 
"Christian  Offering,"  a  religious  paper,  by  S,  B.  Shaw,  both  semi-monthlies, 
are  also  published  at  Rochester. 

[In  addition  to  the  papers  already  enumerated,  the  following  have  been 
published  in  Rochester  during  the  last  nine  years,  for  a  period  varying  from 
three  to  eighteen  months  but  none  of  which  have  now  an  existence  there. 
Particulars  are  not  known: — The  "Watchman,"  an  infidel  paper,  by  Delazon 
Smith.  "Daily  Sun,"  neutral,  by  Alfred  Oakley.  The  "Jeffersonian,"  a  daily 
political  paper,  by  Thomas  L.  Nichols.    The  "Penny  Preacher,"  a  small 


11 


religious  publication,  issued  weekly,  by  Erastus  Shepard.  The  "Western 
Luminary,"  a  Universalist  paper,  printed  weekly,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Cook,  and 
others,  but  now  published  in  Buffalo.  The  "True  Genesee  Farmer,"  devoted 
to  agriculture,  N.  Goodsell,  Editor,  a  monthly  paper,  by  Wra.  A.  Welles.  The 
"Medical  Truth  Teller,"  devoted  to  the  Thomsonian  practice,  by  Dr.  Justin 
Gates.  The  "Evening  Advocate,"  a  small  daily  paper,  neutral,  by  Alonzo 
Bennet  &  Robert  A.  Willson.  The  "Rochester  Telegraph,"  a  small  weekly 
publication,  devoted  to  items  of  news,  neutral,  by  George  A.  Knapp.  The 
"Youth's  Temperance  Banner,"  monthly,  published  by  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Youth's  Temperance  Society,  of  Rochester. — Eds  American.] 

It  is  by  no  means  to  be  taken  for  granted,  that  the  above  list  comprises  all 
the  papers  that  have  been  commenced  in  the  city  of  Rochester — but  it  is 
all  the  Committee  have  furnished  me  with. 

This,  then,  is  the  extent  of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  Monroe  County.  From 
the  data  furnished  me,  I  have  endeavored  to  present  the  facts  as  they  exist 
in  reference  to  those  establishments.  I  now  propose  to  take  a  survey  of  the 
battle-field,  and  trace  out,  so  far  as  it  can  be  done,  the  personal  history  of 
those  who  have  been  actors  in  the  scenes  described.  First,  then,  let  us  call 
up  the  case  of 

Augustine  G.  Dauby.  This  gentleman,  as  before  stated,  was  the  first  per- 
son who  attempted  to  plant  the  standard  of  the  Press  in  Monroe  County. 
He  was  a  pupil  of  Ira  Merrill,  and  learned  the  "art  and  mystery  of  type  set- 
ting" at  Utica.  Mr.  D.  is  a  fine  and  noble  specimen  of  the  Craft,  and  very 
justly  enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all,  who,  in  the  social  relations 
of  life,  or  in  a  business  capacity,  are  thrown  in  his  way.  In  1816,  by  means 
of  a  small  patrimony,  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  a  Ramage  Press,  and 
such  other  materials  as  were  deemed  necessary,  and  with  this  "setting  out,"' 
he  launched  his  bark  at  the  "Mill  Yard,"  and  forthwith  issued  to  the 
"dwellers  in  the  wilderness"  the  first  number  of  the  "Rochester  Gazette." 
Various  successes  attended  this  new  undertaking  in  a  new  country.  Some- 
times he  was  cheered  by  the  opening  view  before  him,  and  at  others  de- 
pressed by  the  difficulties  that  are  inseperable  from  such  an  undertaking,  and 
under  such  circumstances.  In  this  way  he  struggled  on  for  a  little  more  than  3 
years,  and  was  Just  beginning  to  reap  the  reward  that  he  so  justly  merited, 
when  all  his  hopes  and  expectations  were  nipped  In  the  bud  by  the  de- 
struction of  his  office,  by  fire!  This  catastrophe  befel  him  on  the  7th  of 
December,  1819.  Efforts  were  immediately  made  to  put  the  young  Printer 
on  his  legs  again,  and  through  the  kindness  of  the  citizers,  the  April  follow- 
ing, 1820,  saw  Mr.  Dauby  again  in  the  "full  tide  of  successful  experiment." 
In  1821,  he  disposed  of  the  establishment  to  Levi  W.  Sibley,  and  returning  to 
TTtica,  started  the  "Oneida  Observer."  Near  the  close  of  Mr.  Monroe's  admin- 
istration, he  received  the  appointment  of  Post  Master  at  Utica,  an  ofl^ice 
which  he  has  held  until  the  present  time,  although  two  administrations  have 
been  in  power  since,  whose  advent  to  office  was  strenuously  opposed  by  Mr. 


12 


Pauby.  A  life  of  toil  and  industry  has  given  him  a  competency  for  old  age. 
Long  may  he  be  spared  to  enjoy  it. 

John  Sheldon,  who  was  in  company  with  Mr.  Dauby  for  a  short  time, 
removed  to  Detroit  immediately  after  leaving  the  establishment  of  the 
Rochester  Gazette. 

Oran  Follett,  who  was  in  company  for  a  time  with  Mr.  Dauby,  after 
Sheldon  left,  will  be  spoken  of  more  at  length  in  the  "Recollections  of  the 
Press  In  Genesee  County." 

Derick  Sibley  and  Levi  W.  Sibley,  were  somewhat  conspicuous  in  the 
early  establishment  of  Printing  in  Monroe  County.  The  former  gentleman 
was  appointed  to  preside  at  the  Printers'  Festival  held  last  year,  and  dis- 
charged the  duties  in  a  manner  highly  gratifying  to  all  present.  He  v/as 
elected  by  the  citizens  of  Monroe  County  to  the  legislature  of  this  State,  and 
also  filled  other  responsible  public  offices.  To  show  the  manner  in  which 
business  is  done  in  a  new  country,  and  the  expedients  to  which  its  inhabi- 
tants are  obliged  to  resort,  it  may  be  stated,  that  at  one  time.  1818.  the  two 
Sibleys  received  essential  aid  in  the  prosecution  of  their  business,  from  the 
personal  assistance  at  case  of  a  noble  and  generous-hearted  sister!  That 
sister  is  still  living,  the  affectionate  wife  of  a  member  of  the  Craft,  and  the 
mother  of  as  large  and  interesting  a  family  as  any  in  the  city  of  Rochester. 
Derick  Sibley  has  recently  removed  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Levi  W.  died  in 
August,  1844. 

Whittlesey  &  Mumford  were  at  one  time  the  proprietors  of  the  Monroe 
Republican. — Frederick  Whittlesey,  and  William  W.  Mumford — the  former. 
Vice  Chancellor  of  the  8th  Circuit,  the  duties  of  which  laborious  office  he 
has  discharged  with  great  fidelity  and  ability  for  several  years,  and  the 
latter  a  lawyer  of  some  eminence  in  the  city  of  Rochester. 

Edwin  Scrantom  was  the  first  Apprentice  to  the  Printing  Business  in 
Rochester.  He  still  lives  there,  a  worthy  and  respected  citizen — is  now  an 
Alderman  of  the  city,  and  is  doing  an  extensive  business  as  an  Auction  and 
Commission  Merchant,  &c.  &c.  He  is  deserving  of  success,  and  the  indi- 
cations are  that  he  is  in  a  fair  way  for  its  accomplishment. 

Everard  Peck  has  been  more  or  less  connected  with  the  Printing  and 
Pookselling  business  in  Rochester  for  many  years.  With  good  business 
habits,  and  strict  integrity  of  purpose,  he  has  worked  his  way  through  life 
thus  far  with  success.  He  has  retired  from  his  former  pursuits,  but  con- 
tinues to  reside  in  Rochester,  where,  in  its  infancy,  he  commenced  business 
thirty  years  ago,  and  in  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  which  he  has  always 
manifested  a  lively  interest. 

Jesse  Peck  was  Foreman  in  the  office  of  the  "Telegraph,"  from  1818  to 
1825,  when  the  establishment  was  transferred  to  Mr.  Weed.  He  was  for 
several  years  after,  connected  with  Everard  Peck  and  David  Hoyt,  in  the 
Printing  and  Bookselling  business.    He  is  now  one  of  the  firm  of  Peck  & 


IS 


Stafford,  Book  and  Job  Printers,  New  Haven,  Conn.  He  was  a  first  rate 
Printer,  a  worthy  man,  and  a  favorite  among  the  Craft. 

Thurlow  Weed.  In  the  history  of  this  gentleman,  the  "young  Printer"  has 
the  highest  incentives  to  a  manly  battle  with  the  trials  and  perplexities  of 
life.  With  scarcely,  if  any  other  advantages  than  those  derived  from  the 
schooling  of  the  office,  he  has  risen  to  an  eminence  which  but  few  others 
have  attained  as  the  conductor  of  a  public  journal.  Without  meaning  or 
Intending  any  disparagement  to  others,  I  may  be  permitted  to  say,  that 
Mr.  Weed  is  blessed  with  a  large  and  generous  soul — always  alive  to  the 
wants  and  necessities  of  his  fellow  men,  and  always  giving  in  such  cases, 
so  long  as  he  has  a  shilling  in  store.  Indeed,  he  has  sometimes  been  known 
to  carry  this  principle  too  far — forgetting  occasionally,  in  the  outpouring  of 
his  generous  heart,  that  "charity  begins  at  home."  However,  as  Editor  of 
the  Albany  Evening  Journal,  and  State  Printer,  he  has,  it  is  thought, 
accumulated  a  sufficiency  to  carry  him  through  life  with  ease  and  comfort,  if 
indeed,  he  were  disposed  thus  to  live. 

Robert  Martin  was  associated  with  Mr.  Weed  in  the  publication  of  the 
Rochester  Telegraph  from  1824  to  1829  or  1830,  v/hen  he  Jeturned  to  Albany, 
and  engaged  in  the  Daily  Advertiser  and  Gazette  in  that  city,  with  which 
he  had  previously  been  connected.    He  died  a  few  years  after. 

Elihu  F.  Marshall  was  a  well  known  and  respected  citizen  of  Rochester. 
In  company  with  Mr.  Dean,  he  was  engaged  in  printing  and  bookselling.  He 
established,  in  or  about  1825,  an  excellent  weekly  nevrspaper,  called  "The 
Album,"  which,  after  several  years  of  successful  operation,  was  merged  in 
the  Telegraph.  Mr.  Marshall  was  the  author  of  a  Spelling  Book  extensively 
used  at  that  day.  He  held  the  ofllice  of  City  Treasurer.  He  died  in  Roches- 
ter some  five  or  six  years  ago. 

Mr.  Spalding  was  also  connected  with  the  press  in  Rochester,  but  of  him 
the  records  are  nearly  silent.  Mr.  S.  died  a  few  years  ago  at  Avon — in  a 
stage  coach  in  which  he  was  traveling  in  company  with  his  wife.  His 
disease  was  consumption,  and  death  overtook  him  in  these  strange  and 
unexpected  circumstances. 

John  H.  Hunt  was  an  apprentice  in  the  Telegraph  office,  and  afterwards 
one  of  the  publishers  of  the  Album.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Constitutional 
Convention  in  1846,  from  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  now  resides. 

Luther  Tucker  and  those  associated  with  him,  were  the  pioneers  of  the 
Daily  Press  west  of  Albany.  The  Printing  Business  is  greatly  indebted  to 
the  persevering  industry  that  characterizes  the  life  of  Mr.  Tucker,  for 
the  great  and  growing  impetus  that  has  been  given  to  it  in  the  city  of 
Rochester.  Patient  and  enduring  to  the  last,  no  obstacles  howe-ver  for- 
midable they  might  seem  to  others,  were  too  much  for  him  to  grapple  with 
and  surmount. — He  has  thus  fought  his  way  through  the  trials  and  adversi- 
ties of  life,  and  is  now  reaping  the  rev/ard  of  his  industry  in  the  successful 
publication  of  the  "Cultivator,"  an  Agricultural  paper  printed  at  Albany. 


14 


Henry  O'Reilly  is  another  name  conspicuously  identified  with  the  Press 
of  Western  New- York.  He  also  is  a  practical  Printer,  and  a  man  possessing 
a  strong  and  vigorous  intellect,  schooled  by  many  years  of  service  in  the 
arduous  duty  of  a  newspaper  Editor. — He  is  indefatigable  as  a  man  of  re- 
search, and  the  public  are  greatly  indebted  to  him  for  his  work  entitled, 
"Rochester  and  Western  New-York,"  published  a  few  years  since,  and  in 
which  is  contained  a  vast  fund  of  information,  personal,  statistical,  and  local, 
which  had  it  not  been  for  him  must  have  been  soon  lost  and  forgotten.  He 
was  for  a  number  of  years  Post  Master  of  the  city  of  Rochester,  and  is  now, 
and  has  been  for  some  time  past,  engaged  as  the  Agent  for  the  Magnetic 
Telegraph  Company,  in  superintending  the  erection  and  completion  of  those 
lines  of  communication  at  the  West  and  South.  He  has  prosecuted  the  bus- 
iness with  great  vigor  and  perseverance,  and  many  of  them  have  been 
brought  to  a  successful  completion  under  his  management.  He  too,  is  a 
man  of  unbounded  benevolence  and  charity,  caring  more  for  the  woes  of 
others,  than  the  necessities  of  self.  So  much  so,  indeed,  that  it  amounts 
to  a  fault.  In  this  he  errs — but  it  is  an  error  of  the  head,  for  the  heart  is 
essentially  right. 

Thomas  W.  Flagg  succeeded  Mr.  O'Rielly  in  the  Editorial  chair.  I  can  say 
nothing  of  his  personal  history,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  is  unknown  to  me 

Thomas  H.  Hyatt,  is  a  member  of  the  Craft,  and  was  from  1840  to  1842, 
at  the.  head  of  the  Advertiser  and  Republican.  After  relinquishing  the 
business,  he  retired  upon  a  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city  of  Rochester, 
and  there  devoted  his  time  and  his  money  to  the  development  of  the  "art 
of  farming." — He  was  the  means  of  introducing  many  valuable  and  rare  kinds 
of  stock  into  Monroe  Co.,  and  has  done  much  to  advance  the  cause  of 
Agriculture.  He  is  now  one  of  the  proprietors,  and  also  the  Editor,  of  the 
Daily  Globe,  published  In  New-York. 

Hiram  Humphrey  was  for  some  time,  previous  and  subsequent  to  his 
proprietorship,  the  Editor  of  the  Advertiser  and  Republican.  He  is  not  a 
Printer,  but  left  the  plow  to  assume  the  duties  of  the  quill.  During  the 
command  which  he  exercised  over  the  columns  under  his  charge,  the  paper 
was  very  creditably  sustained.  Mr.  B.  is  now  Canal  Collector  at  Rochester. 
The  open,  frank,  and  generous  nature  of  the  Major  has  secured  him  many 
friends. 

Isaac  Butts  and  Harvey  L.  Winants  are  now  the  publishers  of  the  same 
paper.— The  former,  I  believe,  is  not  a  Printer,  but  the  latter  is.  The  slight 
acquaintance  I  have  had  with  these  gentlemen,  does  not  permit  me  to  speak 
of  their  personal  history.  The  paper  is  well  conducted,  and  handsomely 
sustained. 

In  the  catalogue,  as  connected  with  the  Press  in  Rochester,  appear  the 
names  of  D.  D.  Stephenson,  Samuel  Heron,  Daniel  N.  Sprague,  and  many 
others,  of  whom  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  speak  more  at  large,  but 
my  knowledge  of  their  history  will  not  warrant  me  in  so  doing.    Of  Mr. 


15 


Sprague  it  is  however  stated,  that  he  was  in  1830  associated  with  Mr.  Weed 

in  the  Rochester  Anti-Masonic  Enquirer,  and  after  Mr.  W.  left  Rochester  to 
comence  the  publication  of  the  Evening  Journal  at  Albany,  Mr.  S.  for  a  time 
continued  the  former  paper.  He  is  at  present  the  Editor  of  the  Wooster 
Democrat  in  Ohio,  a  paper  which  he  has  published  for  12  or  14  years. 

Erastus  Shepard,  is  a  name  honorably  connected  with  the  business  of 
Printing  in  Rochester.  Mr.  S.  is  a  native  of  New  Hartford,  Conn.,  but  spent 
his  childhood  is  Oneida  County,  and  entered  the  office  of  his  cousin,  Ira 
Merrill,  in  1810,  being  then  14  years  of  age.  His  fellow-apprentices  were 
George  Camp,  Chauncey  Morgan,  his  brother  Augustus,  Chester  Gurney,  and 
Augustine  G.  Dauby.  The  latter  was  Mr.  Shepard's  senior  at  the  business, 
one  day,  which  of  course  threw  the  burden  of  carrying  papers,  treading  pelts, 
fetching  water,  and  distributing  extras,  upon  the  shoulders  of  Mr.  S.  long 
after  Mr.  D.,  had  been  excused  from  the  performance  of  those  necessary 
branches  of  the  business.  But  notwithstanding  all  this,  I  have  heard  Mr.  S. 
say,  they  always  lived  upon  the  best  of  terms.  For  six  long  years  they  sat 
at  the  same  table,  and  shared  at  night,  the  same  bed,  without  any  of  those 
petty  broils  which  are  too  apt  to  mar  the  dull  routine  of  the  days  of  appren- 
ticeship. The  close  of  the  war  left  Mr.  Merrill,  who,  in  addition  to  Printing, 
was  also  largely  engaged  in  the  Book  trade,  as  it  did  many  others — a  total 
wreck  in  business.  Mr.  S.,  as  I  have  heard  him  express  himself,  was  thus 
left,  at  the  age  of  20,  to  "shack  for  himself,"  and  with  but  little  knowledge 
and  less  experience,  he  entered  into  business  at  Ithaca.  As  might  reason- 
ably be  anticipated,  he  was  unsuccessful.  He  frequently  reproaches  liim- 
self  for  not  making  higher  aims,  while  an  apprentice.  Through  the  kindness 
of  his  employer,  he  was  permitted  to  attend  school  during  the  days  of  his 
probation.  The  teacher  reproached  him  on  one  occasion  for  not  preparing, 
as  was  the  custom,  a  piece  for  declamation.  But  young  Shepai-d,  like  most 
other  boys  of  his  age,  was  wise  in  his  own  conceit,  and  very  promptly 
answered  his  teacher,  "I  do  not  expect  to  become  an  orator— it  is  enough  for 
me,  if  I  can  make  a  first  rate  journeyman  Printer!"  He  was  permitted  to 
have  his  own  way,  but  has  ever  since  deeply  regretted  his  obstinacy,  and 
self-will,  and  I  mention  it  here,  to  warn  apprentices  of  the  present  day  to 
pvoid  a  similar  course.  There  is  another  point  upon  which  Mr  S.  always 
speaks  with  feeling  and  earnestness,  and  his  admonition  to  the  young  is,  "Be 
not  impatient  of  restraint."  He  attributes  his  own  preservation  from  the 
path  of  the  destroyer,  to  the  pious  care  of  the  man  who  was  wisely  chosen 
by  his  parents  to  take  charge  of  his  youthful  career.  He  says  that  "in 
tracing  the  lives  of  those  youth  who  did  not  enjoy  the  same  watchful  care, 
or  those  who  cast  off  those  wholesome  restraints,  I  find  many,  alas!  too 
many,  who  have  made  shipwreck  of  themselves,  and  become  burthens  to 
society."  He  also  says  experience  has  taught  him  a  wholesome  lesson,  and 
he  sometimes  volunteers  it  for  the  benefit  of  his  young  friends,  who  may 
be  endeavoring  to  clamber  up  the  ladder  of  life,  which  is— "Never  leave 
a  good  situation  to  embark  in  uncertainties,  without  something  better  than 


16 


fair  words  and  surface  promises  from  political  demagogues,  who  have 
•chestnuts  to  pull  out  of  the  fire.' "  This  is  good  advice,  and  coming  from 
one  of  the  Craft,  who  already  in  advance  of  half  a  century,  is  entitled  to 
weight  and  consideration.  It  is  a  warning  to  the  young,  and  by  them 
should  be  heedfuUy  considered. 

Alvah  Strong  is  one  of  the  partners  at  present  engaged  in  the  publication 
of  the  Rochester  Daily  Democrat,  and  a  man  of  great  perseverance  and  in- 
dustry, to  whom  much  credit  is  due  for  the  advancement  of  the  art  in 
that  city. 

Ansel  Warren,  like  too  many  of  the  Craft,  has  had  more  experience  in 
originating  and  publishing  newspapers,  than  has  been  a  source  of  profit 
to  him.  He  has  published  papers  in  several  counties  in  this  State.  Some 
years  since,  while  printing  a  paper  in  Saratoga,  Albany  Co.,  his  office  was 
totally  destroyed  by  fire.  At  present  he  is  publishing  the  "Free  Citizen,"  at 
Perry,  Wyoming  County.  He  enjoys  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the  fraternity 
of  his  acquaintance,  as  a  gentleman  of  candor  and  integrity. 

E.  J.  Roberts,  for  a  while  the  conductor  of  a  paper  in  Rochester,  was 
originally  in  the  same  business  at  Kingston,  Ulster  County,  where  he  printed 
a  paper  also  called  the  "Craftsman." — He  was  doing  a  fair  business,  and 
prospects  were  bright  before  him — but,  in  an  evil  hour,  he  purchased  a 
lottery  ticket,  and  had  the  misfortune,  as  the  sequel  will  prove,  to  draw  the 
one  half  of  $20,000!  After  this  Kingston  was  too  small  to  contain  the  little 
body  of  our  friend  Roberts.  He  immediately  sold  out — repaired  to  New- 
York,  and  there  formed  a  copartnership  with  M.  M.  Noah.  He  and  the 
Major  were  soon  at  variance — a  personal  difficulty  ensued,  in  which  tradi- 
tion says  the  Major  came  off  second-best — a  dissolution  followed,  and  soon 
after  Mr.  Roberts  made  his  appearance  at  Rochester.  From  thence  he  went 
to  Buffalo,  where  he  was  for  some  time  concerned  in  the  Newspaper  Press, 
from  which  place  he  removed  to  Detroit,  where  he  was  similarly  engaged. 
Was  Police  Justice  of  the  city,  and  finally  Clerk  of  the  Senate  of  Michigan. 
Whether  he  is  still  a  resident  of  that  city  or  not,  is  more  than  I  am  able 
to  say.  Mr.  Roberts  is  by  no  means  deficient  in  talent,  but  he  is  wanting  in 
that  firmness  and  decision  of  character,  which  is  so  essential  to  success  in 
life  If,  in  early  life,  he  had  learned  to  "let  well  enough  alone,"  his  success 
would  have  been  by  no  means  problematical. 

Elisha  Loomis,  who  at  one  time  was  the  Printer  of  the  Rochester  Observer, 
served  his  apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Bemis,  of  Canandaigua — went 
out  as  Missionary  Printer  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  on  his  return 
located  at  Rochester. 

Albert  G.  Hall  also  printed  the  same  paper,  and  following  the  example 
of  some  who  had  preceded  him,  he  filled  up  his  leisure  moments  by  close 
application  to  classical  studies,  and  was  finally  licensed  as  a  minister.  He 
Is  now  the  worthy  Pastor  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church  in  Rochester. 


Here  is  an  example,  not  only  for  the  apprentice,  but  for  the  Journeyman 
also.    It  only  requires  the  will,  and  the  deed  is  easily  accomplished. 

Peter  Cherry,  the  founder  of  the  "Wanderer,"  has  experienced  many  "ups 
and  downs"  since  that  period.  He  has  acquired  the  art  of  Portrait  Painting, 
in  addition  to  that  of  Printing,  and  now  pursues  that  of  the  former 
profession,  in  Rochester. 

Many  names  follow  as  connected  with  different  publications,  but  with 
whose  private  history  I  am  wholly  unacquainted,  and  of  whom,  therefore, 
I  can  say  nothing. 

George  Dawson.  Every  body  knows  George.  Proud  of  being  a  member  of  the 
fraternity,  he  is  a  good  companion,  a  ready  writer,  as  well  as  a  ready 
debater,  and  a  man  of  unconquerable  perseverance.  In  the  spring  of  1836, 
he  left  his  post  as  reporter  in  the  Senate  for  the  Albany  Journal,  and 
became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Rochester  Democrat.  In  1889,  he  sold 
out,  and  became  interested  in  the  establishment  of  the  Advertiser,  at  Detroit, 
Michigan.  He  was  afterwards  appointed  State  Printer,  finally  sold  out, 
returned  to  Rochester,  and  again  became  interested  in  the  Democrat,  but 
is  now  one  of  the  Editors  and  proprietors  of  the  Albany  Evening  Journal. 

Henry  Church  Frink,  although  not  occupying  that  prominent  position 
usually  pertaining  to  the  corps  editorial,  but  choosing  rather  a  retiracy, 
possessed  a  vigorous  and  well-stored  mind.  Previous  to  assuming  the 
editorial  charge  of  the  Advocate,  he  frequently  contributed  to  the  columns 
of  the  Rochester  papers,  many  valuable  articles  on  intricate  subjects  con- 
nected with  Science  and  the  Arts.  The  Mathematical  and  Astronomical 
calculations  were  furnished  by  him,  to  publishers  of  almanacs  in  Rochester 
and  other  places,  for  a  series  of  years.  He  was  also  the  author  of  a  work 
entitled,  "Alow  and  Aloft — on  Board  and  on  Shore,"  178  duodecimo  pp.  It 
was  designed  to  aid  in  the  great  Temperance  Reformation,  to  which  it 
doubtless  contributed,  as  the  work  speedily  attained  to  a  second  edition. 
He  served  an  apprenticeship  to  the  business  with  Marshall  &  Dean,  in 
Rochester.  Their  office  subsequently  passing  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  William 
Ailing,  he  was  elevated  to  its  superintendence,  which  station  he  occupied 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  until  Mr.  A.,  in  the  spring  of  1844,  disposed 
of  his  office  to  Messrs.  Canfield  &  Warren,  when  he  removed,  with  his 
family  to  New- York  city,  to  enter  into  the  service  of  John  T.  Trow  & 
Co.,  as  proof  reader  in  their  extensive  Book  establishment.  He  had 
occupied  this  situation,  however,  but  a  brief  period,  when  he  was  obliged 
to  desist,  on  account  of  an  affection  of  one  of  his  legs,  which  had  now 
assumed  a  serious  aspect,  caused  by  a  severe  injury  received  or.  board  ship 
while  crossing  the  Atlantic  several  years  previous.  It  was  now  deemed 
necessary  to  resort  to  amputation.  To  this  he  calmly  resigned,  but  was 
LOon  pained  by  the  discovery  that  a  cure  was  not  to  be  expected,  as  the 
operation  was  performed  below  the  seat  of  the  disease.  Disheartened  and 
in  this  deplorable  condition,  in  the  fall  of  1845,  amid  great  bodily  suffering, 


18 


be  returned  to  his  friends  in  Western  New-York.  He  finally  reached  the 
residence  of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Eber  Kendall,  then  of  Lockport,  where 
he  lingered  but  a  few  days,  when  he  was  relieved  by  death  of  his  earthly 
sufferings. 

Henry  Cook  and  Samuel  P.  Allen,  both  Printers,  are  the  Editors  of  the 
Daily  Democrat,  and  exhibit  great  industry  and  perseverance  in  the  conduct 
of  their  paper. 

William  A.  Welles.  This  gentleman  is  a  Printer,  a  Sailor,  a  Traveller, 
and  a  Writer  of  considerable  ability.  All  who  attended  the  last  year's 
Festival,  or  have  read  its  proceedings,  are  better  acquainted  with  his  life 
and  history  than  I  can  hope  to  make  them.  He  is  evidently  a  genius,  but 
the  best  energies  of  his  life  have  been  spent  in  ministering  to  the 
gratification  of  a  roving  propensity. 

The  "Rochester  Daily  American,"  Is  in  the  hands  of  L.  &  L.  R.  Jerome. 
This  paper  is  of  but  recent  comparative  origin,  but  it  has  already  assumed 
an  important  position  among  the  newspaper  press  of  the  city  where  it  is 
published.  Its  proprietors  are  energetic  and  persevering  in  their  business. 
Alexander  Mann  is  the  Editor  of  this  paper,  and  seems  to  be  admirably 
adapted  to  the  duties  of  his  station.  Recently,  as  before  stated,  Dr.  Daniel 
Lee  and  R.  D.  Jones  have  become  associated  with  Mr.  M. 

With  this  sketch,  brief  and  imperfect  as  it  is,  I  must  close  the  notice  of 
the  Newspaper  Press  of  Monroe  County.  Many,  and  I  doubt  not,  worthy 
members  of  the  Craft  have  been  passed  by  in  silence.  It  has  not  been  my 
desire  to  do  so — but  ignorance  of  their  personal  history  has  compelled  me 
to  take  this  course.  Upon  this,  I  rest  my  plea  of  justification.  From  what 
I  know  of  the  Jurors  in  this  case,  I  anticipate  a  triumphant  acquittal. 

ERIE  COUNTY. 

The  Newspaper  Press  in  this  County,  since  the  first  attempt  to  plant  its 
standard  there  in  1811,  has  undergone  many  changes  and  fluctuations.  This 
is  more  or  less  true  in  regard  to  most  kinds  of  business,  but  holds  peculiarly 
&o  in  regard  to  the  Newspaper  Press,  in  its  infancy,  in  all  sections  of  our 
country.  The  pioneers — those  who  clear  the  way  for  its  introduction,  rarely 
reap  the  reward  that  is  due  them.  After  struggling  through  the  night  of 
adversity,  and  just  as  the  dawn  of  brighter  hopes  is  about  to  break  upon 
them,  they  are  haunted  by  the  ghost  of  accumulated  debts,  the  result,  gen- 
erally, of  neglect  and  Indifference  on  the  part  of  those  who  were  most 
strenuous  for  the  undertaking,  but  who,  having  accomplished  their  own 
ambitions  and  selfish  purposes,  now  turn  a  cold  shoulder  upon  him  who  has 
been  mainly  instrumental  in  their  advancement.  Young  adventurers  should 
be  on  their  guard  against  the  tricks  of  such  men.  I  do  not  intend  these 
remarks  particularly  for  the  County  of  Erie— they  will  apply,  like  the 
weather  calculations  of  an  Almanac,  to  almost  any  meridian. 


19 


The  first  paper  established  in  this  County,  the  "Buffalo  Gazette,"  was 
issued  on  the  3d  of  October,  1811,  by  Smith  H.  and  Hezekiah  A.  Salisbury, 
brothers.  In  Jany.  1818,  S.  H.  Salisbury  transferred  his  interest  to  Wm.  A. 
Carpenter.  In  the  April  following,  Mr.  Carpenter  disposed  of  his  share  in 
the  establishment  to  H.  A.  Salisbury,  his  partner,  who  changed  the  title  of 
the  paper  to  "Niagara  Patriot."  On  the  separate  organization  of  Erie 
County,  in  1820,  the  title  of  the  paper  was  again  changed  to  "Buffalo 
Patriot."  In  1826,  Mr.  Carpenter  again  occupied  the  "chair  Editorial."  It 
was,  however,  for  a  time  vacated  by  him,  and  his  place  occupied  by  Harvey 
Newcomb,  in  1829,  who  continued  in  it  for  about  a  year,  v/hen  it  was  again 
resumed  by  Mr.  Carpenter,  who  occupied  it  until  1834.  The  first  number 
of  the  "Daily  Commercial  Advertiser"  was  issued  from  the  same  oflace  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1835,  and  was  under  the  Editorial  charge  of  Guy  H.  Salis- 
bury, whose  health  compelled  him  to  withdraw  from  it  at  the  close  of  the 
f;ame  year.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1836,  Bradford  A.  Manchester  purchased 
one  half  of  the  establishment,  and  it  was  conducted  under  the  firm  of 
Salisbury  &  Manchester,  and  under  the  editorial  charge,  at  one  time,  of  Dr. 
Thomas  M.  Foote,  and  for  a  short  period,  of  Theodore  C.  Peters.  On  the 
1st  of  July  of  the  same  year,  H.  A.  Salisbury  retired  from  the  concern,  leav- 
ing it  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  Foote  and  Guy  H.  Salisbury,  associated  with  Mr. 
Manchester,  by  whom  it  was  conducted  until  August,  1838,  when  Almon  M. 
Clapp  merged  the  "Standard,"  then  published  at  Aurora,  in  the  weekly 
"Patriot,"  and  became  one  of  the  Editors  and  proprietors  of  the  "Com- 
mercial" and  "Patriot."  Mr.  Manchester  soon  after  withdrew  from  the 
establishment,  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  his  partners,  by  whom  it  was  car- 
ried on,  under  the  firm  of  Salisbury,  Foote  &  Co.,  until  May,  1839,  when 
Salisbury  and  Clapp  disposed  of  their  interest  to  Dr.  Foote  and  Elam  R. 
Jewett,  which  latter  gentleman  was  then  publishing  the  "Daily  Buffalo 
Journal,"  and  which  by  this  arrangement,  was  merged  in  the  "Commercial." 
The  paper  has  since  been  published  by  these  gentlemen,  under  the  firm  of 
E.  R.  Jewett  &  Co., — Dr.  Foote,  Editor,  assisted  by  Dr.  Daniel  Lee. 

The  "Buffalo  Republican,"  weekly,  was  established  in  April,  1828,  by 
William  P.  M.  Wood.  In  September  following  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Smith  H.  Salisbury  and  William  S.  Snow.  In  April,  1829,  Mr.  Snow  re- 
linquished his  interest  to  Mr.  Salisbury.  In  the  spring  of  1830,  it  passeil 
into  the  hands  of  Henry  L.  Ball,  who  sold  out  in  1831  to  Charles  Faxon 
and  James  Stryker,  the  latter  of  whom  had  edited  the  paper  while  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Ball,  and  continued  in  that  capacity  until  October,  1834,  v/hen 
Mr.  Faxon  bought  his  interest,  and  Horatio  Gates  became  Editor.  Israel  T. 
Hatch,  in  '31,  and  Henry  K.  Smith,  in  '34,  were  likewise  its  political  Editorn. 
In  the  spring  of  1835,  the  "Bulletin,"  a  weekly,  and  the  "Daily  Star,"  both 
of  which  were  then  published  by  James  Faxon,  were  purchased  by  Charles 
Faxon,  who  merged  the  "Bulletin"  in  the  "Republican,"  continuing  the  "Star" 
as  the  daily.  In  August,  1838,  Mr.  Gates  retired,  and  William  L.  Crandal 
assumed  the  editorial  duties.    In  December  of  that  year  the  establishment 


20 


was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  publication  of  the  paper  necessarily  sus- 
pended for  several  weeks.  It  was  however  resumed  in  1839,  by  Quartus 
Graves,  who  had  bought  out  Mr.  Faxon,  and  Mr.  Gates  returned  again  to  his 
Editorial  duties,  assisted  for  a  brief  period,  by  J.  W.  Dwinelle.  In  1840,  Mr. 
Gates  again  vacated  the  chair,  and  it  was  taken  by  Stephen  Albro,  assisted 
for  a  few  months  by  J.  C.  Bunner.  In  April,  1841,  Samuel  Caldwell,  super- 
seded Mr.  Albro,  who,  after  a  few  weeks  trial,  relinquished  it  to  J.  C. 
Bunner,  who  continued  at  his  post  until  Mr.  Graves  sold  out  to  Henry 
Burwell,  1st  of  Jany.  1842,  who  changed  the  title  of  the  paper  to  "Demo- 
cratic Economist,"  upon  which  occasion  Henry  White  was  installed  Editor. 
On  the  1st  of  October,  1842,  Joseph  Stringham  purchased  the  establishment, 
and  issued  the  daily  under  the  title  of  "Mercantile  Courier,"  and  assumed 
Its  Editorial  charge.  On  the  1st  of  July,  1846,  the  Daily  "National  Pilot," 
published  by  Bradford  A.  Manchester  and  James  O.  Brayman,  was  united 
with  the  "Courier,"  and  the  paper  was  carried  on  under  the  firm  of  String- 
ham,  Manchester  &  Brayman,  until  November  of  the  same  year,  when  Mr. 
Stringham  relinquished  his  interest  to  his  partners,  and  Guy  H.  Salisbury 
was  associated  with  Mr.  Brayman  in  its  Editorial  management,  and  by  them 
It  is  still  conducted. 

On  the  14th  of  January,  1846,  Almon  M.  Clapp,  Rufus  Wheeler,  and 
William  M'Credie,  under  the  firm  of  A.  M.  Clapp  &  Co.,  commenced  the  pub- 
lication of  the  "Morning  Express;"  the  editorial  department  being  assigned 
to  Mr.  Clapp,  and  in  October,  W.  E.  Robinson  was  associated  with  him. 

In  January,  1847,  a  daily  and  weekly,  bearing  the  title  of  the  "Republic," 
was  issued  by  an  association  of  Journeymen  Printers,  under  the  firm  of 
Livingston,  Albro  &  Co. 

In  July,  1841,  a  semi-monthly  publication,  under  the  title  of  "Western 
Literary  Messenger,"  was  commenced  by  John  S.  Chadbourne.  In  July,  1842, 
Charles  D.  Ferris  became  an  equal  partner  in  the  paper,  and  it  was  thence- 
forward issued  weekly.  Mr.  F.  remained  in  it  for  one  year,  and  sold  out 
to  Jesse  Clement.  In  May,  1846,  Mr.  Chadbourne  retired  and  was  succeeded 
by  Charles  Faxon,  2d,  and  the  paper  is  now  published  by  Clement  &  Faxon. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1845,  the  "Buffalo  Medical  Journal  and  Monthly  Review 
of  Medical  and  Surgical  Science,"  an  octavo  of  24  pages,  was  commenced  by 
Dr.  Austin  Flint,  as  Editor  and  publisher.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  it  was 
enlarged  to  64  pages. 

The  "Western  Cataract,"  a  weekly  Temperance  paper,  was  established  in 
January,  1845,  by  Lyman  P.  Judson,  and  has  passed  through  the  hands,  suc- 
cessively, of  James  Dubois,  W.  B.  Williams,  and  Chauncey  Hulburt.  By  the 
latter  its  title  has  been  changed  to  that  of  "Western  Temperance  Standard," 
under  which  title  it  is  still  continued. 

In  June,  1846,  Rev.  L.  S.  Everett  commenced  the  publication  of  the 


21 


"Western  Evangelist" — from  the  same  office,  also,  is  issued  the  "Am- 
bassador," both  devoted  to  the  Universallst  denomination. 

In  December,  1837,  a  German  paper  was  established,  called  "Der  Welt- 
burger,"  by  George  Zahm,  who  was  killed  in  1844,  from  which  time  until  the 
fall  of  1845,  it  was  carried  on  by  the  administrators  of  his  estate,  under  the 
Editorial  charge  of  Jacob  M.  Zahm,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Dr. 
F.  C.  Brunck  and  J.  Domidion,  who  commenced  issuing  it  semi-weekly,  and 
enlarged  the  weekly  sheet. 

The  "Telegraph"  is  the  title  of  a  weekly  German  paper  commenced  in 
November,  1845,  by  H.  B.  Miller,  and  edited  by  Adolph  Hilman. 

The  "Springville  Express"  is  published  by  Edwin  Hough,  in  the  village 
indicated  by  its  title,  in  Erie  County.  It  was  established  there  about 
two  years  since. 

The  above,  the  "chronicles  of  Erie"  assert,  is  a  history  of  the  living 
Press  of  that  County.  But  where  are  the  "mighty  dead"  ?  Let  us  look 
around  among  the  tombs  that  have  swallowed  them  up,  and  see  if  their  past 
history  cannot  be  dragged  forth  and  deciphered  from  the  fragments  that  re- 
main. "^-^^ 

The  second  paper  that  made  its  appearance  in  the  village  of  Buffalo,  was 
in  July,  1815,  by  David  M.  Day,  called  the  "Niagara  Journal."  On  the  erec- 
tion of  Erie  County,  the  title  was  changed  to  "Buffalo  Journal."  It  was  edi- 
ted by  the  leading  politicians  of  the  day,  until  about  1822,  when  R.  W.  Haskins 
became  its  principal  Editor.  In  1826,  Oran  FoUett  became  a  partner,  and  the 
Editor.  In  1824,  R.  W.  Haskins  was  admitted  to  a  copartnership,  and  as 
joint  Editor.  In  1830,  Follet  and  Haskins  retired,  leaving  the  paper  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Day.  In  1834,  he  sold  out  to  Elija  J.  Roberts,  who  in  the  summer 
of  that  year  issued  a  daily  under  the  name  of  "Daily  Advertiser,"  which  lived 
only  about  six  weeks.  Col.  Morgan  was  assistant  Editor  with  Mr.  Roberts, 
and  the  late  Comfort  M.  Butler,  one  of  the  publishers.  In  the  early  part  of 
1835,  the  paper  was  suspended.  In  the  meantime,  however,  Mr.  Day  had  es- 
tablished another  paper,  the  "Buffalo  Whig,"  of  which  R.  W.  Haskins  was 
Editor.  The  personal  popularity  of  Mr.  Day  was  too  much  for  the  "Journal," 
and  it  went  down.  Soon  after,  Mr.  D.  purchased  the  title  and  subscription 
list  of  the  defunct,  and  added  that  of  "Journal"  to  his  paper.  On  the  first 
of  January,  1836,  Mitchenor  Cadwallader  and  Dr.  Henry  R.  Stagg,  became 
interested  with  Mr.  Day,  and  in  the  February  following,  commenced  the 
"Daily  Buffalo  Journal,"  the  editorial  care  of  which  was  committed  to  Messrs. 
Cadwallader  and  Stagg.  In  1837,  Mr.  Day  retired,  and  the  paper  was  con- 
tinued by  Stagg  &  Cadwallader  until  the  fall  of  1838,  when  the  establishment 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Elam  R.  Jewett,  and  Dr.  Daniel  Lee  and  J.  B.  Clarke 
were  installed  as  Editors.  In  May,  1839,  the  "Journal'  was"  merged  in  tho 
"Commercial  Advertiser." 


22 


In  1824,  in  September,  John  A.  Lazelle  and  Simeon  Francis  issued  the  first 
number  of  the  "Buffalo  Emporium."  From  December,  1826,  it  was  issued  semi- 
weekly,  and  was  discontinued  in  the  latter  part  of  1829.  It  was  the  first 
paper  issued  in  Buffalo  oftener  than  once  a  week. 

In  the  winter  of  1827  or  '28,  Charles  Sentell  and  Mr.  Haywood,  started  a 
paper  called  the  "Western  Advertiser."  The  late  Oliver  Forward  and  James 
Sheldon  were  contributors  to  it.  Its  existence  was  prolonged  only  for  about 
three  months,  when  it  was  united  to  the  "Buffalo  Patriot." 

In  the  spring  of  1830,  Horace  Steel  commenced  the  "Buffalo  Bulletin." 
About  Feb.,  1834,  it  was  bought  by  James  Faxon,  and  Mason  Brayman  be- 
came its  Editor.  It  was  afterwards,  as  before  stated,  merged  in  the  "Repub- 
lican." 

In  August,  1835,  the  "Transcript,"  daily  and  weekly,  was  started  by  Henry 
Faxon,  and  edited  by  E.  J.  Roberts.  In  December,  Edward  H.  Tompson,  be- 
came the  Editor.    It  went  down  after  an  existence  of  six  months. 

About  this  period  several  small  daily  sheets  were  issued,  which  had  but  a 
brief  existence  of  two  or  three  weeks,  and  then  descended  to  the  "tomb  of 
the  Capulets."  The  "Daily  Whig,"  and  the  "Daily  Enquirer,"  are  the  only 
ones  of  this  class  that  can  be  called  to  mind. 

In  the  winter  of  1835,  a  little  weekly  sheet  was  started  called  the  "Locofo- 
co."    It  lived  but  a  few  weeks,  when  its  light  was  extinguished. 

During  the  winter  of  the  "Patriot  War,"  a  little  weekly  sheet,  called  the 
"Buffalonian,"  made  its  appearance,  under  the  auspices  of  an  association  of 
journeyman  Printers.  It  was  soon  after  issued  daily  by  F.  B.  Ward  &  Co. 
At  first  it  was  edited  by  Mr.  "Anon."  The  thing  taking  pretty  well,  this  Mr. 
Anon,  soon  after  turned  into  Mr.  Geo.  Arlington.  Its  wit,  humor  and  biting 
personalities  soon  procured  for  it  a  large  circulation,  and  this  Mr.  Anon, 
alias,  Geo.  Arlington,  was  again  changed  into  Thomas  L.  Nichols.  In  the 
fall,  Mr.  N.  left  the  establishment  and  started  another  of  similar  character, 
called  the  "Mercury."  The  "Buffalonian"  was  continued  under  the  editorial 
charge  of  J.  D.  Dwinelle,  but  being  divested  somewhat  of  its  obnoxious  char- 
acter, its  popularity  began  to  wane,  and  after  some  two  months  it  was 
bought  out  by  Mr.  Nichols,  and  united  with  the  "Mercury."  In  1839  it 
went  into  the  hands  of  N.R.Stimpson,  who  published  it  until  the  succeeding 
spring,  when  it  ceased  to  exist. 

In  1838-9.  Abraham  Dinsmore  published  the  "Sun,"  daily  and  weekly.  In 
the  May  following  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  E,  H.  Eastabrooks,  and  was 
discontinued  in  October. 

Thomas  Newell,  in  the  spring  of  1839-40,  started  a  daily  and  weekly  paper, 
called  the  "Buffalo  Centinel."  It  was  edited  for  a  brief  period  by  Thomas  L. 
Nichols,  and  for  about  three  months  by  Henry  Reed,  Jr.  It  was  discontinued 
In  the  fall. 


23 


In  the  summer  of  1840,  the  "Morning  Tattler,"  daily,  was  issued  by  Lang- 
don,  Fouchette  &  Schaeffer,  and  edited  at  first  by  George  W.  Bungay,  and 
at  a  later  period  by  Thomas  L.  Nichols,  for  a  short  time.  It  was  subse- 
quently published  for  a  few  months  by  John  S.  Walker,  as  the  "Morning 
Times,"  but  soon  after,  as  tradition  says,  "went  dead  one  day." 

The  first  number  of  "Honest  Industry"  was  issued  in  the  summer  of  1840, 
by  Dr.  Daniel  Lee.  It  never  reached  a  second  number,  but  died  in  its  ef- 
fort to  burst  forth  into  existence. 

The  "Phalanx,"  edited  by  Charles  D.  Ferris,  and  published  dally  and  week- 
ly, was  commenced  in  1840.    It  was  discontinued  at  the  end  of  six  weeks. 

In  1840,  a  German  weekly  paper,  called  the  "Volksfreund,"  was  established. 
It  was  edited  by  Adolphus  Meyers.  It  was  discontinued  after  the  election 
of  that  year. 

Another  German  paper  called  the  "Freimuthige,"  was  started  January  1st, 
1843,  by  Alexander  Kranse  and  Adolphus  Meyer.  It  was  discontinued  in  the 
summer  of  1845. 

The  "School  Reader"  is  the  title  of  a  weekly  publication  commenced  in 
1842,  by  A.  W.  Wilgus,  and  edited  by  R,  W.  Haskins.  It  lived  for  one  quar- 
ter and  expired  for  want  of  patronage. 

The  "Sublime  Patriot'  was  published  in  the  winter  of  1841-2,  by  Thomas 
Jefferson  Southerland.  It  was  issued  semi-monthly,  but  its  course  was  soon 
run. 

A  weekly  paper,  bearing  the  name  of  "Buffalo  American,"  was  commenced 
In  the  winter  or  spring  of  1842,  by  Thomas  Foster  and  C  F.  Butler.  It  was 
designed  for  the  mechanical  and  working  classes.  It  was  in  existence  only 
one  year. 

The  "Daily  Gazette,"  was  commenced  in  August,  1842,  by  Charles  Faxon, 
2d,  and  soon  after  a  weekly  was  issued,  called  the  "Old  School  Jeffersonian," 
which  sustained  the  administration  of  President  Tylor.  In  the  February  fol- 
lowing these  papers  were  discontinued,  when  H.  A.  Salisbury,  Bradford  A. 
Manchester  and  James  O.  Brayman,  issued  daily  and  weekly,  the  "Buffalo 
Gazette."  This  paper  was  continued  until  Febuary,  1845,  when  it  was  dis- 
continued, and  Messrs.  Manchester  &  Brayman  established  the  "National  Pi- 
lot," with  Mr.  Brayman  and  R.  W.  Haskins  as  editors. 

The  "Temperance  Standard,"  devoted  entirely  to  the  cause  of  Temperance, 
was  published  one  year,  1842,  by  H.  H.  Salisbury  and  A.  M.  Clapp. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Gross  commenced  the  publication  of  a  Universalist  pa- 
per, called  the  "Gospel  Advocate,'  in  1822.  After  the  expiration  of  the  first 
year  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Simeon  Burton,  who  continued  it  for  three 
years.  It  then  came  into  the  hands  of  Rev.  L.  S.  Everett,  Rev.  Theopholis 
Fisk,  and  M.  Tuttle,  who  continued  it  until  1828,  when  it  was  removed  to 
Auburn,  and  afterwards  united  with  the  "Evangelical  Magazine,"  at  Utica. 


24 


The  "Warning,"  says  the  Editor  of  the  Buffalo  "Courier,'  was  a  little  per- 
iodical, published  we  think  once  a  fortnight,  during  the  year  1828,  by  Rev. 
Jabez  B.  Hyde,  and  which  was  entirely  devoted  to  the  explanations  of  the 
personal  wrongs  and  grievances  sustained  by  him,  in  consequence  of  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Buffalo  Presbytery  upon  his  ministerial  functions  as  missionary 
among  the  Indians.  It  was  a  curious  specimen  of  typography,  as  Mr.  H. 
bought  some  old  type,  and  learned  to  set  them  in  his  old  age,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  spreading  his  case  before  the  public,  and  composed  the  matter  with 
his  own  hands,  without  much  reference  to  the  established  rules  of  the  art." 

Of  another  sheet,  the  Editor  of  the  "Courier"  makes  the  following  re- 
marks:— "There  was  a  periodical  printed  and  published  at  the  Mission  House, 
on  the  Indian  Reservation,  near  this  city,  for  several  years,  in  the  Seneca 
language;  under  the  charge  of  the  Missionary,  Rev.  Asher  Wright.  It 
was  designed  to  aid  the  religious  teachings  to  the  Indians,  which  the  Mis- 
sion was  instituted  for.  We  paid  a  visit  to  the  'office'  some  years  since,  and 
found  the  workmen  engaged  upon  it,  were  a  couple  of  young  Indians,  who 
had  been  taught  enough  of  the  'art  and  mystery'  to  set  up  the  gutturals  that 
make  up  their  native  tongue.  The  paper  has  been  removed  to  the  Cat- 
taraugus Reservation,  since  the  Senecas  have  left  our  vicinity,  where  it  is 
now  printed.  Its  present  title  is  'Mental  Elevator/  but  whether  that  was 
its  original  name,  or  when  it  was  commenced,  we  have  not  learned.  The 
numerous  accented  characters  which  are  employed  in  the  Seneca  language, 
make  the  paper  much  resemble  the  Phonographic  prints — only  a  little 
more  so.' 

The  "Gospel  Banner"  was  a  monthly,  published  by  Benjamin  Clark,  of 
Alden,  and  printed  in  Buffalo,  in  1832  or  '33.  The  particular  design  of  this 
paper  was  the  union  of  all  Christians  into  one  body — of  course  the  doing 
away  of  sects,  and  the  observance  of  the  seventh  day  as  the  Sabbatli. 
The  benevolent  designs  of  Mr.  Clark  have  not  yet  been  consummated. 

The  "Buffalo  Herald,"  was  the  title  of  a  Presbyterian  paper,  by  Rev. 
Randolph  Stone,  which  was  commenced  in  1831.  Some  misunderstanding 
occurring  with  the  Printer,  the  paper  was  discontinued  upon  reaching  its 
second  number. 

The  "Young  Men's  Temperance  Herald,"  was  started  in  1835.  It  lived 
one  year.    Its  conductors  were  Abel  M.  Grosvenor  and  Ezra  B.  French. 

In  1837  or  '38,  Nathaniel  Potter,  Jr.,  commenced  a  monthly  pablication, 
called  the  "Philanthropist."  It  embraced  a  wide  and  extensive  field,  and 
went  for  the  general  welfare  of  all  mankind — for  universal  peace  and  non- 
resistance.    One  year  closed  its  labors  of  love. 

A  Presbyterian  publication  called  the  "Buffalo  Spectator,"  was  commenced 
in  1836,  by  J.  and  W.  Butler,  under  the  editorial  charge  of  Rev.  Stephen 
Feet.    It  lived  about  two  years. 

In  183G  or  '37,  the  Bethel  Society  commenced  a  monthly  pubiicr.tion,  under 


25 


the  title  of  "Bethel  Magazine,"  designed  for  the  moral,  religious  and  intel- 
lectual improvement  of  the  sailors  and  boatmen  on  the  Lake  and  Canal.  Its 
name  was  afterwards  changed  to  that  of  "Bethel  Flag,"  and  after  bearing 
up  gallantly  against  adverse  winds  and  storms,  about  a  year  ago  it  was 
obliged  to  strike.  It  was  then  united  with  the  "Sailor's  Magazine," 
New- York. 

The  "Friend  of  Youth"  was  comm.enced  in  1839,  by  Rev.  A.  T.  Hopkins.  It 
was  published  monthly,  and  devoted  to  the  moral  training  of  the  young. 
It  died  in  its  youth,  having  survived  only  one  year. 

The  Rev.  Doct.  John  C.  Lord,  on  the  1st  of  March,  1841,  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  "Western  Presbyterian,"  which  was  continued  for  one  year. 

The  "Literary  Enquirer,"  semi-monthly,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Buffalo 
Lyceum,  was  started  by  William  Verrinder,  Jany.  1,  1833.  But  politics 
proved  to  be  In  greater  demand  than  literature,  and  after  struggling  against 
adverse  'fortunes,  for  two  years,  the  establishment  v.'as  removed  to  Fre- 
donia,  Chautauqua  County,  and  transferred  into  a  political  newspaper. 

The  "Buffalo  Garland,"  a  weekly  literary  sheet,  was  commenced  in  1840, 
by  Geo.  W.  Bungay.    It  was  but  of  short  duration. 

N.  H.  Bannister,  v/ho  has  contributed  somewhat  succe.^sfully  to  the 
literature  of  the  Drama,  commenced  the  publication,  In  1841,  of  "Ban- 
nister's Life  in  Buffalo."  The  work  proved  a  failure,  and  was  abandoned 
after  a  trial  of  a  few  weeks.    Abraham  Dinsmore  was  the  Printer. 

"The  Impetus,"  a  quarto  publication,  by  E.  W.  Spanlding,  was  commence  1 
in  the  summer  of  1845,  and  continued  for  six  months,  when  its  motive 
power  ceased  to  act,  and  the  impetus  was  no  go. 

In  1822,  Lev/is  G.  Hoffman  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Black  Ronk 
Beacon."  As  long  ago  as  that,  it  will  be  recollected  the  village  of  Buffalo 
and  the  village  of  Black  Rock,  were  very  much  in  the  con'lition  of  the 
ancient  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster — each  contending  for  the  crown  of 
supremacy. — Many  who  may  be  induced  to  read  these  pages  will  rememb'^r 
the  fierce  and  unrelenting  war  that  was  for  a  long  time  carried  on 
between  the  two  places — bitter  and  acrimonious  on  both  sides.  The  Press, 
in  such  a  contest,  was  indispensible,  and  this  led  to  the  lighting  up  of  the 
"Beacon."  The  late  Gen.  Peter  B.  Porter  was  the  Ajax  of  the  "Rock."  and 
contributed  liberally  to  the  columns  of  the  "Beacon."  The  war  was  gal- 
lantly fought  on  both  sides — and  it  was  of  long  duration— but  like  every 
thing  else,  it  was  destined  to  have  an  end.  Buffalo  came  forth  victorious 
from  the  contest,  and  was  crowned  the  "Queen  City  of  the  Lakes."  The 
f.res  of  the  "Beacon"  were  extinguished  in  1824.  In  the  latter  part  of  ♦he 
same  year,  Bartemas  Ferguson  commenced  the  "Black  Rock  Gazette," 
which  he  cpntinued  to  published  until  August,  1825,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Smith  H.  Salisbury,  who  carried  it  on  until  the  fall  of  1827,  when 
the  establiBhm.ent  was  removed  to  Buffalo,  and  there  published  under  the 


26 


title  of  "Buffalo  and  Black  Rock  Gazette,"  until  April,  1828,  when  It  was 
discontinued. 

In  February,  1826,  Daniel  P.  Adams  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
"Black  Rock  Advocate."  It  was  under  the  editorial  charge  of  Dr.  M.  G. 
Lewis.    It  was  sustained  one  year,  and  then  discontinued. 

But  one  more  location  in  which  an  effort  has  been  made  in  Erie  County 
to  establish  the  Press,  remains  to  be  spoken  of.  In  that  case,  I  will  let 
the  Editor  of  the  "Courier"  tell  the  tale  in  his  own  happy  style.    It  follows: 

"The  village  of  Aurora — or  rather  the  two  villages,  as  they  formed  a  dis- 
junctive conjunction — had  ambitious  aspirings  in  1835,  that  required  the 
establishment  of  newspapers  to  aid  the  development  of  the  advantages  and 
resources  of  that  fine  town  and  adjacent  country.  Accordingly  in  August, 
of  that  year,  the  "Aurora  Standard,"  was  issued  at  East  Aurora,  by  our 
fellow  editor,  Almon  M.  Clapp,  and  a  well  conducted  paper  it  was — one 
of  the  best  of  the  country  Press.  It  was  neutral  the  first  year  and  then 
came  out  whig.  In  the  fall  of  1838,  the  "Standard"  was  merged  in  the 
"Buffalo  Patriot,"  as  was  likewise  its  editor  and  publisher.  The  "Aurora 
Democrat"  was  started  about  the  same  time  with  the  "Standard,"  at  the 
West  village  of  Aurora,  by  Deloss  E.  Sill.  It  was,  as  its  name  indicates, 
democratic  in  politics.  At  the  expiration  of  a  few  months  it  was  discon- 
tinued, and  the  materials  moved  to  Ellicotville,  Cattaraugus  County,  where 
Mr.  Sill  now  prints  the  "Cattaraugus  Whig."  Since  then,  Aurora,  East  or 
West,  has  had  no  local  organ,  save  the  "Watchman,"  an  unique  little  thing, 
the  size  of  a  sheet  of  letter  paper,  printed  by  Master  O.  C.  Hoyt,  who  had 
learned  a  smattering  of  type  setting,  and  got  a  small  lot  of  old  type  together, 
out  of  which  he  made  a  paper,  which  was  printed  on  a  cheese-press.  It  soon 
shared  the  fate  of  many  a  cotemporary  of  larger  dimensions  and  pre 
tensions,  and  was  not." 

This,  so  far  as  the  records  show,  presents  a  history  of  the  rise,  progress, 
and  in  many  instances,  the  decline  and  fall,  of  the  Press  in  Erie  County. 
The  picture,  although  it  may  be  a  faithful  shadowing  forth  of  the  original — 
although  the  artist  may  have  done  his  duty  with  great  faithfulness  and 
Impartiality,  still  it  cannot  by  any  means  be  said  to  be  a  flattering  one. 
But  there  is  a  corner  of  the  canvass  unoccupied,  which  it  will  now  be  my 
endeavor  to  fill  up.  It  will  not  be  my  purpose  to  speak  of  all  the  actors 
in  the  dramas  enacted  in  the  establishment  of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  thi? 
County,  and  for  the  very  obvious  reason,  that  In  regard  to  many  of  them, 
their  personal  history,  to  me,  is  an  entire  blank.  Necessity,  therefore,  and 
not  design,  will  compel  me  to  leave  the  picture  still  in  an  unfinished  state. 

Smith  H.  and  Hezekiah  A.  Salisbury  were  the  first  to  break  ground  in 
the  attempt  to  establish  the  Press  in  Erie  County.  This  was  in  1811,  when 
this  section  of  the  State  was  just  emerging  from  a  wilderness  state.  From 
the  notice  of  the  Press  of  this  County  a;?  contained  in  the  "Buifalo 
Courier,"  the  public  are  led  to  infer — indeed  it  is  so  stated — that  the 


27 


brothers  Salisbury  made  the  attempt  together,  and  at  the  same  time.  This  is 
slightly  at  variance  with  the  recollection  of  Mr.  Bemis,  who  states  that  the 
old  Press  and  Types  originally  used  in  the  establishment  of  the  "Ontario 
Repository,"  "were  taken  to  Buffalo  in  1810,  and  the  first  paper  set  up  in 
that  place  was  the  'Buffalo  Gazette,'  by  Smith  H.  Salisbury,  who,  after  the 
war,  was  joined  by  his  surviving  brother  Hezekiah."  I  cannot  take  it  upon 
myself  to  say  which  of  these  accounts  is  true — the  probability,  however,  is 
that  Mr.  Bemis  is  mistaken,  as  he  no  doubt  states  the  fact  from  simple 
recollection  of  the  matter — whereas,  the  author  of  the  statement  as  furnished 
through  the  "Courier,"  no  doubt  has  the  authority  of  the  surviving  partner 
for  the  truth  of  the  statement  therein  contained.  The  apparent  disparity  in 
relation  to  time,  in  fact  amounts  to  nothirig.  Mr.  Bemis  does  not  say  that 
the  paper  was  issued  in  1810 — simply  that  the  materials  were  taken  to 
Buffalo  in  that  year.  After  struggling  against  the  adverse  fortunes  that 
usually  attend  the  early  establishment  of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  an  untried 
field,  oiie  of  the  brothers,  Smith  H.,  has  silently  sunk  to  his  final  rest.  The 
other,  Hezekiah  A.,  still  lives  to  witness  the  complete  triumph  of  the  art 
in  the  very  place,  where  36  years  ago,  the  effort  must  have  been  looked 
upon  as  little  short  of  the  dreamings  of  a  disordered  mind!  Mr.  Salisbury 
is  Very  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  craft  in  Western  New- 
York.  I  have  not  the  means  at  hand  for  determining  the  precise  population 
of  Buffalo,  (at  an  early  day  called  New-Amsterdam,)  at  the  time  the  Mesars. 
Salisbury  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Buffalo  Gazette,"  but  the 
probability  is,  that  it  did  not  exceed  5  or  600!— perhaps  not  so  many.  But 
civilization,  and  the  means  of  disseminating  knowledge,  go  hand  in  hand  in 
this  country.  The  surviving  brother,  although  associated  with  the  earliest 
recollections  of  the  Press  in  Erie  County,  never  se^-ved  a  regular  apprentice- 
ship at  the  business  of  Printing.  For  something  like  a  year  he  was  under 
the  tuition  of  Mr.  Bemis,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time,  like  many  boys  of  the 
present  day,  he  repented,  no  doubt,  "having  learned  the  trade,"  and  again 
betook  himself  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  However,  when  his  brother 
made  known  to  him  his  intention  to  launch  his  bark  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
Erie,  he  resolved  to  take  passage  with  him,  and  has  thus  become  a 
Printer,  without  serving  an  apprenticeship.  Although  advanced  in  years,  he 
rtiW  occupies  his  post  at  the  case. 

David  M.  Day.  This  gentleman's  name  is  early  associated  with  the  attempt 
to  establish  the  Press  in  Buffalo.  Mr.  Day  learned  his  trade  with  Mr. 
Stevens,  in  the  office  of  the  "Ontario  Measenger,"  and  started  in  business 
at  Buffalo,  in  1815.  He  v/as  a  rare  and  eccentric  genius— full  of  wit,  humor 
and  fun,  and  wonderfully  gifted  with  the  rare  and  valuable  faculty  of  making 
friends,  and  obtaining  work.  But  he  has  run  his  race,  and  although  unfor- 
tunate in  some  particulars,  still  he  has  left  behind  him  the  remembrance 
of  many  virtues.  It  may  justly  be  said  of  him— the  only  enemy  he  had, 
was  himself. 

William  A.  Carpenter.    Here  is  another  name  long  identified  with  the 


28 


4 

business  of  Printing  in  Western  New-York.  In  1818,  his  name  is  found 
associated  with  that  of  H.  A.  Salisbury  in  the  publication  of  the  "Buffalo 
Gazette."  But  long  before  this,  he  was  engaged  by  Benjamin  Blodgett — say 
in  1812  or  *13 — to  publish  the  "Genesee  Intelligencer,"  then  the  only  paper 
printed  at  Batavla,  in  Genesee  County.  Mr.  Carpenter  has  done  much  to 
build  up  and  sustain  the  Newspaper  Press,  in  this  section  of  the  State. 
In  doing  this,  he  has  necessarily  had  to  encounter  many  hardships  and  trials, 
but  he  rode  out  of  the  storm  gallantly,  and  yet  lives  to  witness  the  bless- 
ings that  have  been  showered  upon  his  country  in  the  estiablishment  of  a 
Free  Press.    He  is  still  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Buffalo. 

Thomas  M.  Foote.  Although  the  Doctor  is  not  himself  a  practical  Printer, 
he  is,  nevertheless,  a  practical  Editor,  and  devotes  himself  with  great  assidui- 
ty to  his  profession.  He  has  done  much  to  raise  the  standard  of  the  Press  in 
Buffalo. 

Almon  M.  Clapp.  This  gentleman  is  now  one  of  the  Editors  of  the 
"Morning  Express."  He  is  also  a  practical  Printer,  and  one  of  the  best  of 
the  craft,  and  through  his  exertions  much  has  been  contributed  to  the 
advancement  of  the  art  in  Erie  County. 

Bradford  A.  Manchester,  Jas.  O.  Brayman  and  Guy  H.  Salisbury,  are  the 
Editors  and  proprietors  of  the  "Buffalo  Courier,"  and  are  entitled  to  great 
credit  for  the  perseverance,  industry  and  skill  with  which  they  prosecute 
their  calling. 

It  must  not  be  expected  that  I  can  follow  out  the  innumerable  number 
of  names  that  have  been  connected,  at  one  time  and  another,  with  the 
Newspaper  Press  of  Erie  County  Although  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  do 
so,  still  I  am  fearful  such  a  course  would  be  the  means  of  augmenting 
these  pages  unnecessarily,  or  at  least  beyond  what  the  Committee  might 
have  anticipated  of  me.  There  are  many  names  honorably  connected  with 
the  Press  in  this  County,  and  who  have  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  its 
ultimate  success,  through  all,  and  the  many  and  serious  difficulties  it  has 
encountered,  whose  personal  history  it  would  give  me  pleasure  to  narrate, 
were  it  not  for  the  reason  above  assigned. 

The  history  of  the  Press  in  this  county  is  one  of  admonition  and  should 
be  received  as  a  lesson  of  caution  by  the  aspirants  for  political  or  literary 
fame.  Men  who  make  politics  a  trade,  are  bad  councellors  to  the  young  who 
e.re  about  to  engage  in  the  establishment  of  a  newspaper.  Generally,  they 
are  the  first  to  volunteer  their  counsel,  and  promise  aid — but  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten,  "they  have  an  ax  to  grind,"  and.no  sooner  is  that  accomplished, 
than  their  promises  are  forgotten.  The  wants,  and  the  business  of  a  place, 
should  be  the  guides  in  such  a  case.  A  want  of  attention  to  these  simple 
rules  would  save  many  a  young  man  from  the  mortification  of  a  failure,  and 
consequent  embarrassment  through  life.  Besides,  there  would  not  be  so 
many  ephemeral  publications  thrust  upon  the  world,  and  by  this  means 
dividing  a  patronage  among  four,  that  is  scarcely  competent  to  sustain  one 


29 


well  conducted  newspaper.   The  great  mortality  that  has  prerailed  among 

the  Newspaper  press  of  Erie  County  is  by  no  means  an  isolated  case. 
Other  counties,  and  other  sections  of  country,  present  a  similar  state  of 
things.  If  properly  heeded  by  those  who  are  to  come  after  us,  the  lesson 
may  be  of  infinite  value. 

CATTARAUGUS  COUNTY. 

At  a  comparatively  early  day  the  attention  of  the  Craft  seems  to  have  been 
directed  to  the  intellectual  wants  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  County. — It 
only  adds  another  to  the  innumerable  evidences  already  in  hand,  of  the 
untiring  perseverance  and  industry  of  Printers.  Cattaraugus  at  the  early 
day  Indicated,  offered  no  peculiar  inducements  which  called  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Press  within  its  borders.  It  may  have  had  advantages,  pro- 
spectively— but  they  have  proved  ideal  and  imaginary.  But  an  opening  was 
thought  to  present  itself,  and  a  Printer  stood  ready  to  embrace  the 
opportunity. 

In  1818,  Benjamin  Franklin  Smead  established  at  Olean,  a  paper  called 
the  "Allegany  Mercury,"  which  he  continued  about  two  years. 

In  1826,  Richard  Hill  commenced  the  publication  of  a  paper  at  EUicottville, 
which  was  continued  for  about  three  years. 

G.  N.  Starr,  in  1829,  began  the  "Lodi  Freeman  and  Messenger,"  at  the  Vil- 
lage of  Lodi.  He  continued  at  its  head  for  something  like  three  years, 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  E.  Hough;  soon  after  which  event  it 
ceased  to  be  published. 

The  "EUicottville  Republican,"  by  Deloss  E.  Sill,  was  started  in  1833,  and 
continued  for  one  year,  when  it  was  transferred  to  R.  H.  Shankland,  by 
whom  it  has  been  continued  under  the  title  of  "Cattaraugus  Republican." 

Rufus  W.  Griswold  made  another  attempt,  in  1836,  to  establish  a  paper  at 
Olean,  which  he  dignified  with  the  title  of  "Olean  Advocate."  Its  existence 
was  brief — the  old  complaint,  want  of  adequate  support,  soon  killed  it  off. 
Out  of  the  ruins  of  the  "Advocate,"  like  the  Phoenix  from  the  ashes,  sprung 
the  "Olean  Times,"  by  Dudley  Bryan,  who  continued  it  for  a  year,  and  it 
then  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Woodcock.  Another  year's  probation,  and 
the  "Times"  ended  its  career. 

The  "Cattaraugus  Whig,"  by  Deloss  E.  Sill,  was  commenced  at  EUicottville, 
in  1840,  and  is  still  published  by  the  original  proprietor. 

In  1842,  J.  J.  Strong  commenced  at  the  Village  of  Randolph,  the  publica- 
tion of  the  "Randolph  Herald,"  which  he  continued  for  one  year. 

The  prospect  before  Mr.  Smead,  when  he  located  himself  at  Olean,  must 
have  been  anything  else  than  flattering  to  the  young  and  joyous  aspirations 
ot  a  youthful  adventurer  after  fame  and  fortune.  But  I  am  told  he  was 
strongly  tinctured  with  the  love  of  novelty,  spiced  with  the  spirit  of  ad- 


30 


venture.  He  thought,  no  doubt,  from  the  topography  of  the  country,  that 
Olean  at  some  future  day  was  to  rise  up  and  be  dignified  with  the  title  of 
true  greatness — that  a  city  in  embryo  lay  hid  among  the  waving  forest,  and 
like  the  cold  and  inanimate  marble,  it  only  required  the  effort  of  man  to 
speak  it  into  existence!  As  a  powerful  engine  in  this  great  and  wonder- 
working process,  a  Press  was  necessary,  and  Fate  stamped  her  seal  upon 
Mr.  Smead  as  the  man  to  undertake  it.  He  was  a  man  of  industry  and 
perseverance,  and  contended  stoutly  against  the  tide  that  set  against  his 
hopes,  but  all  in  vain.  Olean  refused  the  destiny  he  had  marked  out  for 
her,  and  in  retaliation  for  so  much  and  deep  ingratitude,  Mr.  Smead  aban- 
doned her  to  her  fate.  The  gentleman  under  consideration  was  not  only  a 
Printer,  and  an  Editor,  but  also  a  Poet! — and  as  he  contemplated  the  source 
from  which  Olean  was  to  derive  its  greatness,  would  break  forth  in  the 
following  strain: 

"As  I  stood  on  the  banks  of  the  deep  Allegany, 
I  saw  the  smoothe  tide  flow  majestic  along; 
I  saw  the  high  Mountain,  the  Valley  and  Daisey, 
And  heard  the  last  note  of  the  Emigrant's  song." 

Richard  Hill  was  one  of  those  rare,  odd,  and  eccentric  geniuses,  so  com- 
mon with  those  who  hail  from  the  "Emerald  Isle."  It  seems  he  published 
a  paper  at  Ellicottville  about  three  years,  but  whether  it  was  dignified  with 
a  title  or  not,  has  not  transpired.  Its  publication  depended  entirely  upon 
the  fancy  or  caprice  of  Richard.  It  may  be  said  to  have  been  published 
semi^occasionally.  If  any  thing  worthy  the  Editor's  note  happened  to 
Travel  over  the  hills  of  Cattaraugus,  and  reach  the  peaceful  and  pleasant 
village  of  Ellicottville,  out  came  Richard's  paper,  duly  chronicling  the 
events  of  the  day — on  the  contrary,  if  there  was  a  want  of  news  in  tho 
market,  the  issue  was  postponed.  Mr.  Sill,  who  furnished  the  facts  in 
relation  to  the  Press  in  this  County,  tells  the  following  story  of  Richard:  — 
"Some  of  our  citizens  will  remember  the  burning  of  the  Court  Hause  and 
Jail,  in  1829,  and  the  tour  of  Sheriff  Saxton  to  Albany,  with  a  view  to  get 
a  law  authorizing  a  new  building.  The  trip  was  performed  so  expeditiously, 
that  it  is  said  the  embers  of  the  house  were  yet  smoking,  when  Saxton 
arrived  with  the  Act  authorizing  a  new  one!  So  great  an  event  was  cele- 
brated by  a  general  jubilee.— Dick,  it  is  said,  on  this  occasion,  got  so  full 
of  glee,  that  on  returning  home  at  night,  he  mistook  Dr.  Ward's  house  for 
his  own,  and  cried  out  to  Mrs.  Ward,  supposing  her  to  be  his  wife,  'Kape 
quiet  —  I  say,  kape  quiet,  Kate;  Saxton  has  got  home  with  the  Court  House 
in  his  pocket,  and  we  shall  have  some  news  for  the  papers.'  "  It  is  related 
of  him  that  he  was  one  day  discovered  in  the  very  literary  pursuit  of  en- 
deavoring to  yoke  a  pig— the  modus  operandi  was  truly  original.  He  bored 
a  hole  in  a  board,  and  then  set  to  work  driving  it  on  over  the  nose, 
endeavoring  thereby  to  stretch  the  hole  to  the  capacity  of  the  pig's  neck! 
Richard's  ideas  in  this  matter  did  not  coincide  with  those  of  the  pig,  and 
he  abandoned  the  attempt  in  despair.    His  aspirations  for  Editorial  fame 


31 


succeeded  no  better  than  his  attempt  to  yoke  the  pig,  and  he  abandoned 
the  enterprise. 

R.  H.  Shanklin,  aside  from  his  avocations  as  Publisher,  and  Editor  of  the 
"Cattaraugus  Republican,"  has  also  found  time  to  serve  the  people  of  that 
County  in  the  capacity  of  Surrogate — a  distinction  not  often  accorded  to  the 
Editorial  fraternity. 

Rufus  W.  Griswold,  who  was  at  one  time  located  at  the  head  of  navigation 
of  the  Allegany  River,  has  abandoned  the  case,  and  also  the  pursuit  of 
Newspaper  editing,  and  has  entered  the  field  for  literary  fame.  He  is  now 
a  resident  of  Philadelphia,  and  his  name  will  be  readily  recognized  as  the 
author  of  a  number  of  works,  especially  the  "Poetry  of  Flowers  and  Flowers 
of  Poetry."  He  also  compiled  and  edited  the  "Poets  and  Poetry  of 
America."  In  1835,  he  was  engaged  at  the  Printing  business  at  Syracuse, 
but  subsequently,  however,  he  became  a  Baptist  minister.  It  is  no  doubt 
fortunate  for  Mr.  Griswold  that  Olean  failed  to  yield  him  a  competent 
support. 

[From  Graham's  Magazine  for  June,  1845,  we  extract  the  following — Mr. 
G.  was  one  of  the  regular  contributors  to  that  periodical.  "He  studied 
theology,  was  seduced  from  preaching  into  editing,  forsook  the  newspaper^; 
to  travel,  and  storing  his  mind  richly  by  observation  and  study,  settled 
down  as  a  man  of  letters.  He  was  always  the  ardent  and  sincere  friend 
of  the  unfortunate.  In  1840,  in  New-York,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  others,  he 
founded  a  library  in  The  Tombs,  and  two  Southern  merchants,  who  then 
were  in  confinement  there,  subsequently  presented  him  a  piece  of  plate 
with  the  following  inscription: 

Post  Nubila  Phoebus. 
TO  RUFUS  WILMOT  GRISWOLD, 
Who  Brought  Pleasure  to  Our  Prison,  and 
Made  Us  Forget  Our  Homes  When 
We  Were  With  Strangers. 
Ingratus  unus  miseris  omnibus  nocet. 

His  sermons  are  his  finest  compositions,  and  he  delivers  them  from  the 
pulpit  with  taste  and  eloquence." 

Mr.  G.  is  a  man  of  uncommon  ability,  excellent  taste,  and  very  remark- 
able devotion  to  literature.  His  "Poets  and  Poetry  of  America,"  a  work 
of  great  merit  and  popularity,  has  won  him  reputation  on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic.  No  author  among  us  has  done  so  much  in  behalf  of  the  nationality 
of  American  literature  as  he.  His  industry  is  indefatigable,  and  his  energy 
unconquerable.  Mr.  G.  affords  an  excellent  example  of  what  a  Printer  may 
become,  and  of  the  honor  refiected  upon  the  Craft  by  the  learning  and  talent 
of  its  members.  He  is  still  a  young  man,  and  his  friends  indulge  high 
expectations  which  few  are  better  able  to  fulfil.— Eds.  American.} 

J.  J.  Strang,  who  published  the  "Randolph  Herald,"  is  now  a  prophet 


32 


among  the  Mormons  at  Voree.   Whether  he  finds  his  new  calling  more 

congenial  to  his  feelings  than  his  old,  I  am  unable  to  say. 

There  are  other  names  connected  with  the  Press  of  Cattaraugus,  with 
the  personal  history  of  whom  I  am  wholly  unacquainted.  Mr.  Sill  has  com- 
mitted one  error  in  relation  to  the  Press  of  this  County,  and  had  well  nigh 
led  me  into  it,  also.  Franklin  Cowdery,  June  10,  1819,  commenced  the 
publication  of  the  "Hamilton  Recorder,"  at  Olean,  which  he  printed  one  year, 
in  company  with  a  son  of  Benjamin  F.  Smead, 

Mr  Cowdery  would  have  it  understood  that  he  printed  the  first  paper  in 
Cattaraugus  County,  which  he  says  was  in  1819.  Mr.  Sill  says  B.  F.  Smead 
commenced  a  paper  at  Olean  in  1818 — Here  seems  to  be  a  direct  contradic- 
tion, and  I  must  leave  it  to  others  to  reconcile  it  with  the  truth. 

It  has  been  the  fortune  of  Mr.  Cowdery  to  be  engaged  in  the  establish- 
ment of  many  newspapers — he  has  been  the  pioneer  in  many  counties,  but 
has  always  left  the  nest,  when  comfortably  warmed,  for  others  to  occupy. 


CHAUTAUQUE  COUNTY. 

The  struggles  and  vicissitudes  through  which  those  have  passed  in  this 
County,  who  have  engaged  in  the  establishment  of  the  Newspaper  Press, 
have  been  many  and  varied.  The  first  attempts  were  made  when  the 
county  was  new,  and  before  its  capacity  and  its  resources  were  fully 
developed — success  under  such  a  state  of  things  must  always  be  looked  upon 
as  doubtful — indeed,  the  cases  are  very  rare  where  the  original  founders  of 
a  newspaper,  in  a  new  county,  have  been  successful  in  the  undertaking.  If 
ill  success,  therefore,  has  attended  the  craft  in  Chautauque  County,  In 
more  cases  than  one,  it  is  by  no  means  a  rarity  confined  to  that  county 
alone — they  have  only  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  those  who  have  preceded 
them,  in  Western  New-York,  generally. 

The  first  paper  established  in  this  County  was  the  "Chautauque  Gazette," 

at  Fredonia,  in  1817,  by  James  Percival.* 

The  "Chautauque  Eagle,"  by  Robert  J.  Curtis,  was  commenced  at  May- 
ville,  in  May,  1819,  and  was  continued  about  a  year. 

The  "Fredonia  Censor,"  by  Henry  C.  Frisbee,  v/as  commenced  at  Fredonia, 
in  1821.  Mr.  F.  continued  at  its  head  for  17  years,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  E.  Winchester,  by  v/hom  it  was  published  three  years.    It  then 

*  There  seems  to  be  a  contrariety  of  opinion  in  relation  to  this.  Mr.  Frisbee, 
formerly  of  the  "Censor,"  and  the  oldest  Printer  in  the  County,  says— "This  paper 
was  conducted  about  five  years,  by  James  Hull,  when  it  was  discontinued  for  a 
year  or  two,  and  then  again  royuined  by  him;  but  after  two  or  three  years'  laith- 
ful  existence,  it  ceased  to  be."  Mr.  McKinstry,  the  present  proprietor  of -the  "Cen- 
sor," savs— "It  was  commencod  by  James  Percival.  *****This  paper  continued  to 
be  published  successively  by  Persival.  Carpenter  &  Hull,  and  James  Hull,  till  some- 
time in  1822  when  its  p:iblication  v/as  suspended."  I  am  inclmed  to  thmk  Mr. 
McKinstiT's  version  of  the  matter  is  correct.  Mr.  Frisbee  does  not  allege  that  the 
piper  was  commenced  by  Mr.  Hull. 


3S 


came  into  the  possession  of  R  Cunnington,  who  published  it  one  year.  W. 
McKinstry  then  became  the  proprietor,  by  whom,  and  by  W.  McKinstry  &  Co. 

it  has  been  published  for  the  last  five  years. 

The  "Peoples'  Gazette"  was  commenced  in  1824,  at  Forrestville,  by  William 
S.  Snow.  It  was  continued  for  a  short  time,  and  then  united  with  the 
"Chautauque  Gazette,"  at  Fredonia. 

In  June,  1826,  Adolphus  Fletcher  commenced  at  Jamestown,  the  publication 
of  the  "Jamestown  Journal."  It  is  now  published  by  Warren  Fletcher,  a 
son  of  the  original  proprietor. 

The  "Western  Star,"  was  commenced  In  June,  1829,  at  Westfield,  by 
Henry  Newcomb.    It  was  continued  for  about  two  years. 

In  1828  Morgan  Bates  commenced  the  publication  of  the  "Chautauque  Re- 
publican," at  the  village  of  Jamestown.  It  was  continued  for  about  five 
years,  during  which  time  it  had  some  seven  or  eight  different  proprietors. 

The  "Genius  of  Liberty,"  a  religious  publication  was  commenced  at 
Jamestown,  in  1829,  by  Lewis  C.  Todd.  It  had  an  existence  of  about  two 
years. 

In  1834,  the  "Chautauque  Whig,"  was  started  at  Dunkirk,  by  Thompson  & 
Carpenter,  who  continued  it,  jointly,  or  individually,  until  1845.  At  a  later 
period,  it  has  been  known  by  the  name  of  the  "Dunkirk  Beacon." 

The  "Mayville  Sentinel"  was  established  in  1834,  and  printed  by  Timothy 
Kibby.  In  March,  1835,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Beman  Brockway,  who 
published  it  for  the  proprietors  until  Dec.  1836,  when  he  purchased  the 
establishment.  In  1837,  H.  E.  Purdy  became  interested  in  the  paper,  and 
continued  it  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  then  retired,  leaving  it  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Brockway.    It  is  still  published  at  Mayville,  by  John  F.  Phelps. 

The  "Westfield  Messenger"  was  commenced  at  the  village  indicated  by  its 
title,  in  August,  1844,  by  C.  J.  J.  Ingersoll,  by  whom  it  is  still  published. 

The  "Frontier  Express,"  was  established  in  June,  1846,  at  Fredonia,  by 
Perham  &  Cutler,  and  is  still  published  by  them. 

The  "Panama  Herald"  was  commenced  in  the  village  of  Panama,  town  of 
Harmony,  in  August,  1846,  by  Dean  &  Hulburt,  and  edited  by  Thomas 
Graham.    It  is  now  in  the  hands  of  Steward  &  Pray. 

The  above  comprises  only  a  part  of  the  papers  that  have  had  an  existence 
in  this  County.  Some  of  them,  however,  have  lived  so  short  a  time,  that 
it  can  scarcely  be  said  that  they  had  an  existence  at  all.  I  have  not  been 
furnished  with  the  facts  by  which  to  enable  me  to  say  where,  or  when,  they 
were  published.  The  following,  it  is  thought,  embraces  a  full  and  perlect 
list  of  all  the  papers  that  are,  or  have  been,  published  in  this  County, 
indicating  the  place  where  published.  Of  this  number,  only  six  remain  to 
tell  the  fate  of  their  associates:  — 


34 


Mayville--Chautauque  Eagle,  Republican  Banner,  Mayville  Sentinel,  and 
the  Tocsin,  a  temperance  paper. 

Fredonia — Chautauque  Gazette,  Fredonia  Censor,  Fredonia  Gazette,  West- 
ern Democrat  and  Literary  Enquirer,  The  Pantheon,  Frontier  Express,  and 
Botanic  Medical  Journal. 

Westfield— Western  Star,  Chautauque  PhcBnix,  American  Eagle,  Westfield 
Courier,  Western  Farmer,  Westfield  Lyceum,  Westfield  Advocate,  Westfield 
Messenger. 

Jamestown — Jamestown  Journal,  Genius  of  Liberty,  Chautauque  Republican. 

Forrestville— Peoples'  Gazette,  Western  Intelligencer. 

Van  Buren — Van  Buren  Times. 

Dunkirk— Chautauque  Whig,  Dunkirk  Beacon. 

Panama — Panama  Herald. 

The  papers  at  present  published  in  the  County  seem  to  be  tolerabiy  well 
supported,  the  "Fredonia  Censor"  issuing  weekly  about  1000  papers — the 
"Jamestown  Journal"  700— the  "Mayville  Sentinel"  1000 — the  "Westfield 
Messenger"  600,  and  the  "Panama  Herald"  500.  If  they  are  paying  sub- 
scribers, this  is  very  well — if,  as  is  too  often  the  case,  they  are  mere  men  of 
straw,  taking  the  paper  without  ever  intending  to  pay,  the  number  is 
altogether  too  large. 

H.  C.  BYisbee,  the  original  founder  of  the  "Fredonia  Censor,"  seems  to 
have  fought  his  way  through  great,  and  what  would  have  appeared  to  some 
minds,  insurmountable  diflSculties  and  obstacles,  in  establishing  himself  in 
business.  "With  a  hired  establishment — the  materials  of  which  would  now 
be  looked  upon  as  a  perfect  burlesque,  the  Press  having  been  manufactured 
by  a  blacksmith  and  carpenter  in  one  of  the  new  towns  in  Ohio,  and  the 
types,  which  were  few  in  quantity,  mostly  worn  down  to  the  'third  nick' — 
with  some  forty  subscribers,  and  for  the  first  three  weeks  not  a  single 
paying  advertisement — he  commenced  the  flattering  career  of  editor  and 
proprietor  of  a  newspaper."  His  principal  assistant  in  type  setting  the  first 
year  was  a  lad  some  nine  years  of  age,  and  on  publication  days  he  called  in 
his  neighbor,  a  painter  in  a  chair  shop,  [H.  H.  Seaver,  of  Rochester,]  who 
assisted  him  at  the  Press,  in  the  capacity  of  ball-man.  To  lessen  his 
expenses,  which  from  the  meagre  patronage  he  was  receiving,  became  an 
absolute  duty,  he  lodged  himself  before  the  ofllce  fire.  Could  success  be 
doubtful  with  such  a  man?  By  no  means.  By  great  industry,  and  the 
practice  of  the  most  rigid  economy,  he  forced  the  "fickle  goddess"  to  smile 
upon  him.  Such  men  deserve  success,  and  under  the  peculiar  and  favorable 
institutions  of  our  country,  scarcely  ever  fail  to  command  it.  Such  is  the 
early  career  of  Mr.  Frisbee.  It  is  worthy  the  imitation  of  members  of  the 
craft  at  the  present  day. 

B.  Brockway,  who  was  for  many  years  at  the  head  of  the  "Mayville  Sen- 


35 


tfnel,"  is  another  notable  instance  of  what  may  be  effected  by  industry  and 
economy.  These  necessary  prerequisites  to  success  in  almost  any  under- 
taking in  life,  were  the  capital  upon  which  he  commenced  business.  He  has 
made  good  use  of  the  investment.  He  is  now  the  Editor  and  proprietor  of 
the  "Oswego  Palladium,"  and  I  am  happy  to  learn  is  on  the  high  road  to 
success. 

Of  the  other  gentlemen  who  have  been  associated  with  the  Press  in  this 
County,  I  know  but  little— not  enough  to  warrant  me  in  speaking  of  their 
personal  history.  This  County,  like  most  others  in  Western  New-York,  has 
been  prolific  in  the  number  of  its  newspaper  establishments,  and  has 
consisted  of  the  usual  assortment — good,  bad,  and  indifferent. 

ORLEANS  COUNTY. 

The  history  of  the  Press  in  this  county  is  embraced  in  a  comparatively 
small  compass. — Whether  the  inducements  held  out  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  this  County  have  been  less  than  others— or 
whether  the  craft  have  been  forewarned  from  the  results  that  have  followed 
the  attempt  in  other  counties,  I  am  unable  to  determine — the  fact,  however, 
is  undeniable,  that  fewer  attempts  have  been  made  in  Orleans  to  establish 
the  Press,  regardless  of  the  ability  of  a  place  to  support  such  an  establish- 
ment than  in  almost  any  other  county  in  Western  New- York. 

In  1822,  while  the  present  County  of  Orleans  was  a  part  of  Genesee 
County,  Seymour  Tracy  made  an  attempt  to  etablish  the  first  newspaper 
over  printed  within  its  limits.  The  paper  was  published  at  Gaines,  and 
was  called  "The  Gazette."    It  was  continued  about  four  years. 

In  1823,  Franklin  Cowdery  commenced  the  publication,  at  Newport,  (now 
Albion,)  of  the  "Newport  Patriot."  He  continued  it  for  nearly  two  years. 
In  Feby.  1825,  the  establishment  passed  into  the  hands  of  Timothy  C.  Strong, 
who  soon  after  changed  its  name  to  that  of  "The  Orleans  Advocate." 
In  February,  1828,  Mr.  Strong  again  changed  the  name  of  his  paper,  calling 
it  "The  Orleans  Advocate  and  Anti-Masonic  Telegraph."  In  Feb.  1829,  an- 
other annual  change  took  place  by  dropping  the  word  "Advocate,"  leaving 
the  title  to  read  the  "Orleans  Anti-Masonic  Telegraph."  In  the  June  follow 
ing,  "Anti-Masonic"  was  discarded,  and  it  stood  forth  simply  as  the  "Orleans 
Telegraph."  But  the  spirit  of  change  did  not  stop  here — it  soon  after  as- 
sumed the  title  of  "American  Standard."  In  March  1830,  J.  Kempshall  be- 
came proprietor  of  the  establishment,  and  continued  its  publication  until 
Sept.  1832,  when  it  again  came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Strong,  and  took 
the  name  of  "The  Orleans  American."  In  April,  1844,  Mr.  Strong  disposed 
of  the  establishment  to  J.  &  J.  H.  Denio,  by  whom  it  has  since  been  pub- 
lished. 

Daniel  P.  Adams,  published  a  paper  at  Medina  in  1833  or  '34 — but  what 
was  the  name  of  it,  or  how  long  it  was  published,  I  have  not  been  able  to 
learn. 


36 


In  August,  183T,  J.  &  J.  H.  Denio  established  a  paper  at  Medina,  which 
they  continued  until  May,  1842,  called  the  "Medina  Sentinel." 

In  October,  1829,  C.  S.  McConnell  commenced,  at  Albion,  the  publication 
of  the  "Orleans  Republican,"  which  he  continued  until  Feb.  1841,  when  he 
disposed  of  the  establishment  to  H.  W.  Depuy,  who  continued  it  for  a  few 
months,  and  it  then  passed  into  the  hands  of  an  association  of  gentlemen, 
and  was  thus  continued  until  1845,  when  H.  E.  Purdy  assumed  the  charge  of 
it,  and  in  July,  1846,  C.  S.  McConnell  again  became  the  Editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  "Orleans  Republican." 

Many  of  the  citizens  of  Genesee  County,  at  least,  will  remember  Seymour 
Tracy— a  "one  legged  Tracy,"  as  he  was  usually  called.  Previous  to  start- 
ing the  paper  at  Gaines  he  resided  at  Batavia,  but  his  grossly  intemperate 
habits  unfitted  him  for  business— and  for  certain  reasons  was  held  in  low 
estimation  where  he  was  best  known.  No  wonder,  then,  that  his  attempt  at 
Gaines  was  an  unsuccessful  one. 

Of  Mr.  Cowdery  I  have  before  spoken.  In  the  "Genesee  Olio,"  of  30th 
.lany.  1847,  a  semi-monthly,  which  he  now  published  in  Rochester,  Mr.  Cow- 
dery says— "We  were  also  fiirst,  and  did  the  very  first  printing  ever  done 
in  Orleans  County."  This  statement  is  at  variance  with  that  furnished  by 
Mr.  Denio,  in  relation  to  Printing  In  this  County,  which  is,  that  Mr.  Tracy 
established  himself  in  business  at  Gaines,  in  1822,  and  Mr.  Cowdery,  at  Al- 
bion, in  1823.  The  fact  is  not,  perhaps,  material  in  itself,  although  if  Mr. 
Cowdery  was  the  pioneer  of  Printing  in  this  County,  he  should  have  the 
credit  for  it.  • 

Timothy  C.  Strong  was  originally,  I  believe,  from  Vermont,  and  previous  to 
his  establishment  in  Orleans  County  was  the  conductor  of  a  paper  at  Pal- 
myra, in  Wayne  County.  He  was  a  man  possessed  of  many  good  qualities, 
and  contributed  his  proportion  in  the  establishment  of  the  Newspaper  Press 
in  Western  New-York.  But  he  has  worked  his  last  token,  and  been  called 
to  another  world. 

Of  the  Messrs.  Denio,  I  have  no  personal  knowledge.  The  senior  in  the 
iirm  is  of  opinion  that  Printing  during  the  time  when  Mr.  Tracy  flourish- 
ed at  Gaines,  commanded  a  better  return  for  labor  than  at  the  present  day. 
He  cites  as  an  instance  going  to  prove  this  fact,  that  Tracy  charged  the 
County  eighty  dollars  for  printing  two  reams  of  county  orders,  and  that  the 
Supervisors  actually  allowed  the  account  of  sixty-eight  dollars!  But  the 
days  for  such  prices  have  gone  by.  Steam  and  competition  have  made  sad 
work  upon  high  prices. 

•  Since  writing  the  above  I  have  conversed  with  John  B.  Wood,  who  is  one  ol 
the  "old  Jours"  of  Western  New-York,  and  he  asserts,  from  his  own  knowledge, 
that  the  credit  of  doing  the  first  printing  in  Orleans  County,  is  justly  due  Mr. 
Cowdery.  My  own  impression  is,  that  the  first  paper  published  at  Gaines  waa 
called  "The  Newspaper."  This  was  by,  Mr.  Tracy.  The  esablishment  afterwards  fell 
into  the  hands  of  John  FMsk.  who  has  been  entirely  omitted  by  Mr.  Demo,  and  the 
paper  was  called  "The  Gazette."  Mr.  Fisk  is  now,  and  has  been  for  a  number  of 
years  past,  in  the  employ  of  the  Tonawanda  Rail  Road  Company. 


87 


C.  S.  McConnell,  before  his  location  in  Orleans  County,  conducted  a  paper 
in  Onondaga.  Soon  after  relinquishing  his  interest  in  the  "Orleans  Repub- 
lican," he  became  a  proprietor  in  the  "Rochester  Daily  Advertiser,"  where  he 
prosecuted  the  business  successfully  for  a  few  years,  and  finally,  in  1846,  re- 
turned to  Albion,  and  is  again  at  the  head  of  his  old  paper.  Mr.  McConnell 
is  a  true  disciple  of  Franklin,  and  an  honest  man. 

Of  the  others  who  have  been  identified  with  the  Press  in  this  County,  I 
can  say  nothing — with  some  of  them  I  was  a  stranger,  and  do  not  therefore 
feel  at  liberty  to  meddle  with  matters  entirely  personal  in  their  character. 

LIVINGSTON  COUNTY 

This  County  cannot  claim  an  exemption  from  the  common  lot  which  Is 
too  often  the  result  of  newspaper  printing.  What  has  been  the  fate  of  the 
craft  in  other  counties,  may  be  said  to  be  more  or  less  true  of  those  in  Liv- 
ingston County.  They  have  been  attended  by  the  usual  mutations,  changes, 
and  final  extinction,  which  follow  in  the  wake  of  all  human  affairs.  The  first 
paper  printed  within  the  territory  that  now  marks  the  bounds  of  this  County, 
was  commenced 

In  1817,  by  Hezekiah  Ripley,  and  was  called  the  "Moscow  Advertiser  and 
Genesee  Farmer."  It  was  located  in  the  village  of  Moscow.  He  continued  it 
for  some  time  after  the  erection  of  the  County,  in  1821,  when  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  James  Percival,  and  was  by  him  removed  to  Geneseo,  and  its 
name  changed  to  that  of  "Livingston  Register."  In  1829,  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Anson  M.  Weed  and  Allen  Warner.  Mr.  Weed  died  in  the  winter 
of  1831,  and  it  was  continued  for  a  short  time  by  the  surviving  partner,  when 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Percival,  who,  in  1832,  sold  it  to  Elias  Clark, 
who  continued  it  until  he  was  elected  County  Clerk,  in  1834,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  it  to  William  H.  Kelsey  and  Richard  M.  Miel,  and  the  latter,  in 
1835,  became  sole  proprietor.  Ha  was  succeeded  by  D.  S.  Curtis,  and  its 
publication  was  suspended  in  1837.  It  soon  after,  however,  recovered  its  po- 
sition, and  for  a  short  time  was  published  by  Hugh  Harding,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded, in  1837,  by  John  Kempshall,  and  continued  by  him  until  the  fall  of 
1840,  when  it  ceased  to  exist. 

In  1822,  Chauncy  Morse  established  the  "Livingston  Journal,"  at  Geneseo, 
and  afterwards  took  into  copartnership  Asahel  Harvey.  In  1829,  Levi  Hovey 
became  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment,  and  continued  it  until  the  spring 
of  1831,  He  became  embarrassed,  and  abandoned  the  paper,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Benjamin  Denison— then  H.  F.  Evans,  Evans  &  Woodruff,  and 
William  J.  Ticknor.  The  paper  was  discontinued  in  1834  or  '35.  In  the  fall 
of  the  latter  year  the  establishment  was  purchased  by  David  Mitchell  and  W. 
H.  Kelsey,  who  established  the  "Livingston  Democrat."  This  paper  was  sus- 
pended in  the  year  1837.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  a  new  Press  and  types 
were  added  to  the  establishment,  and  S.  P.  Allen  commenced  the  publication 


38 


of  the  "Livingston  Republican,"  and  in  September,  1846,  retired,  leaving  It 
In  the  hands  of  John  M.  Campbell,  by  whom  it  is  now  published. 

In  1830,  David  Mitchell  and  Benjamin  Denison  established  the  "Dansville 
Chronicle,"  at  the  village  indicated  by  its  title.  It  was  started  as  a  neutral 
paper,  but  afterwards  came  out  Anti-Masonic,  when  Mr.  Denison  left  it.  Its 
title  was  changed  to  that  of  "Village  Record."    It  had  but  a  short  existence. 

The  Western  New-Yorker,"  at  Dansville,  was  published  by  A.  Stevens  & 
Son.  The  "Dansville  Whig,"  by  George  W.  Stevens  succeeded  it,  and  was 
continued  by  Charles  W.  Dibble,  for  one  year,  when  it  was  again  transferred 
to  Mr.  Stevens,  by  whom  It  Is  now  published. 

The  "Dansville  Republican,"  was  established  by  David  Fairchild,  in  1842, 
and  has  been  continued  alternately  by  himself  and  his  sons.  It  is  now  pub- 
lished by  Geo.  H.  Bidwell. 

The  "Mount  Morris  Spectator"  as  established  in  1835,  by  Hugh  Harding. 
It  is  still  published  by  him. 

The  "Genesee  Valley  Recorder"  was  established  by  Ira  G.  Wisnor,  and 
was  published  for  a  short  time  in  1842-3,  at  Mount  Morris.  Mr.  W.  died  not 
long  since  at  the  West. 

The  "Livingston  County  Whig,"  by  Geo.  B.  Phelps,  was  commenced  in 
1843,  at  Mount  Morris.  It  Is  now  in  the  hands  of  James  T.  Norton.  For  a 
few  months  a  Daily  was  issued  from  this  office,  but  it  is  now  discontinued. 

The  "Geneseo  Democrat,"  was  commenced  at  Geneseo,  In  1843,  by  Gilbert 
F.  Shankland,  and  is  still  continued  by  him. 

Mr.  Ripley,  the  founder  of  the  first  paper  in  this  County,  Is  now  in  one 
of  the  Western  States.  From  the  best  intelligence  I  can  obtain,  he  is  in 
Belvidere,  Illinois.  After  throwing  up  his  hand,  and  relinquishing  the  Print- 
ing business  in  this  part  of  the  State,  he  was  for  a  while,  the  keeper  of  a 
public  house  at  Lakeville,  Dansville  and  Hammondsport — but  the  probability 
Is  he  found  this  business  as  thankless  and  unprofitable  as  Printing,  and  re- 
solved to  try  his  fortune  In  the  West.  He  is  a  clever,  honest  and  Intelligent 
man,  but  is  too  unstable  in  his  purposes  to  succeed  well. 

Mr.  Percival  has  been  seized  with  a  migratory  fit,  and  leaving  the  scene 
of  his  former  labor,  he  next  appears  before  the  public  as  the  Editor  of  a 
paper  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  and  more  recently  at  Lancaster,  in  the  same 
State.  The  Press  upon  which  the  first  paper  in  this  County  was  printed, 
was  an  old  Ramage,  upon  which  the  "Albany  Argus"  was  once  printed.  It 
is  now  in  the  office  of  the  "Mount  Morris  Spectator." 

Mr.  Kempshall.  Of  this  individual,  Mr.  Allen  in  his  notes  of  "Early  Times" 
In  this  County,  says — "Since  leaving  here  he  has  been  a  Dorr  Patriot  in 
Rhode  Island,  a  'Jour'  in  New-York  and  elsewhere,  but  several  years  since 
v/e  lost  trace  of  him.  He  was  a  noble-hearted,  generous  fellow,  unfortunate, 
and  often  troubled  with  what  he  called  'blue  devils/  or  melancholy.  W« 


39 


should  not  be  surprised  to  hear  of  him  in  Oregon  or  California.  He  was  a 
brother  of  Hon,  Thomas  Kempshall,  of  Rochester." 

But  I  must  bring  this  sketch  to  a  close.  It  must  not  be  expected  of  me 
that  in  these  running  notices,  I  can  particularize  all  who  have  been  inter- 
ested in  the  Press  in  Livingston,  or  any  other  County.  There  are  various 
reasons  which  render  it  impossible  for  me  to  do  so.  In  very  many  instances 
the  readers  of  these  pages  will  be  able  to  supply  any  omissions  that  may  be 
the  result  of  want  of  time,  or  the  facilities  of  information,  to  make  them 
complete. 

WAYNE  COUNTY 

The  territory  embraced  in  the  now  County  of  Wayne,  was  originally  a 
part  of  Ontario.  The  Press  found  its  way  Into  it,  however,  while  it  was  yet 
a  branch  of  the  original  tree.  But  then,  the  local  causes  which  are  so  pro- 
lific in  giving  life  to  newspaper  establishments  did  not  operate  with  that 
force,  'that  they  did  after  its  separate  organization  as  a  County.  Then  It  is, 
that  rival  villages,  local  causes,  and  many  other  considerations  well  known 
to  the  hopes  and  expectations  of  men  who  fancy  they  have  written  upon 
their  brow  the  certain  index  of  future  greatness,  call  for  the  establishment 
of  that  great  level  of  public  opinion — the  Press.  These  causes  are  general 
in  their  nature,  and  have  operated,  no  doubt,  more  or  less  in  this  County. 

The  first  paper  established  in  the  territory  now  constituting  the  County 
of  Wayne,  was  by  Timothy  C.  Strong,  at  Palmyra,  and  was  called  the  "Pal- 
myra Register."  This  took  place  on  the  26th  day  of  November,  1817.  This 
Press  was  continued  by  Mr.  Strong,  with  occasional  changes  of  title — for 
which  he  was  particularly  famous— until  October,  1823,  when  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Pomeroy  Tucker,  and  its  then  title,  the  "Western  Farmer  and 
Canal  Advocate,"  superseded  by  that  of  "Wayne  Sentinel,"  which  name  it 
still  retains,  and  is  now  conducted  by  Mr.  Tucker. 

The  "Lyons  Republican,"  was  established  at  the  village  of  Lyons,  August 
3,  1821,  by  George  Lewis,  and  was  discontinued  Feb.  22,  1822. 

The  "Lyons  Advertiser"  was  commenced  at  the  same  place,  on  the  31st 
May,  1822,  by  Hiram  T.  Day.  This  paper  underwent  various  changes  of 
name,  and  was  successively  published  by  Ephraim  J.  Whitney,  E.  J.  &  W.  W. 
Whitney,  Barker  &  Chapman,  Chapman  &  Chapman,  and  William  F.  Ashley, 
and  is  now  published,  with  the  title  of  "Western  Argus,"  by  Chas.  Poucher. 

On  the  11th  of  March,  1828,  the  "Palmyra  Freeman"  made  its  appearance 
fat  Palmyra,  published  by  D.  D.  Stephenson.  He  was  shortly  afterwards 
succeeded  by  J.  A.  Hadley,  who  subsequently  removed  the  establishment  to 
Lyons,  where  the  paper  was  continued  under  the  title  of  "The  Countryman," 
with  Myron  Holley  as  associate  Editor,  and  was  thus  continued  until  Nov. 
1831;  when  its  publication  was  suspended  for  a  season.  It  was  afterwards 
resumed  as  the  "Lyons  American,"  by  Myron  Holley;  and  in  1836,  the  es- 


40 


t!iblishment  was  removed  to  Clyde,  where  it  reappeared  as  the  "Clyde  Ga- 
zette," by  Denison  Cord.  The  present  "Clyde  Eagle,"  by  Stephen  Salisbury, 
Jr.,  is  believed  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  same  concern,  although  after  a 
suspension  of  a  number  of  years. 

In  1828,  '29  and  '30,  a  monthly  paper  entitled  "The  Reflector,"  devoted  to 
science,  ironical  castigation,  and  amusement,  by  "O.  Dogberry,  Jr.,"  was  pub- 
lished at  Palmyra,  the  whole  term  of  its  existence  being  about  two  years. 

In  November,  1829,  "The  Newark  Republican"  was  established  at  the  vil- 
lage of  Newark,  by  Jeremiah  O.  Balch,  and  was  continued  by  him  until  July, 
1831,  when  the  paper  was  discontinued. 

In  June,  1838,  David  M.  Keeler  commenced  the  publication  in  the  same  til- 
lage, of  the  "Wayne  Standard,"  and  it  was  continued  by  him  until  August, 
1839,  when  he  disposed  of  it  to  an  association  of  gentlemen,  by  whom  it  was 
continued  under  the  name  of  the  "Newark  Aegis,"  Stephen  Culver  officiating 
as  Editor,  and  F.  G.  Norton  and  G.  W.  Gould,  as  Printers,  until  January,  1S40, 
at  which  time  Norton  and  Gould  became  the  ostensible  proprietors,  and  for 
awhile  thus  continued  by  them  jointly,  and  then  by  Norton  alone,  the  ^ame 
Editor  officiating  until  May,  1840,  when  the  establishment  reverted  back  to 
the  association,  and  the  paper  was  discontinued. 

In  July  or  August,  1840,  David  M.  Keeler  again  assumed  the  publication 
of  the  paper  under  its  former  name,  "The  Wayne  Standard,"  until  July,  1843, 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  H.  L.  Winants,  who  continued  its  publica- 
tion for  about  one  year,  and  it  was  then  discontinued. 

The  "Western  Spectator  and  Wayne  Advertiser,"  was  commenced  at  Pal- 
myra, by  Luther  Howard,  and  Erastus  Shepard,  June  9,  1830.  In  April,  1831, 
the  titlo  of  the  paper  was  changed  to  "Spectator  and  Anti-Masonic  Star," 
and  continued  by  Mr.  Shepard  until,  in  the  same  year  it  was  merged  in  the 
"Anti-Masonic  Inquirer,"  at  Rochester. 

The  "Palmyra  Whig,"  by  Wm.  H.  and  Saml.  Cole,  was  commenced  at  Pal- 
myra In  February,  1838.  It  was  afterwards  removed  to  Lyons,  where  it  is 
atiil  continued  as  the  "Wayne  County  Whig,"  by  William  H.  Cole. 

The  first  number  of  the  present  "Palmyra  Courier,"  by  F.  Morley,  was  is- 
sued May  28,  1845,  and  is  still  published  by  him. 

The  above,  I  am  aware,  is  imperfect  in  many  particulars — but  I  am  not 
sufficiently  well  acquainted  with  the  facts  in  the  case  to  make  an  intelligi- 
ble correction.  Mr.  Tucker,  who  furnished  the  facts  so  far  as  they  have  been 
given,  refers  to  Mr.  Winants,  of  the  "Rochester  Daily  Advertiser,"  to  furnish 
the  data  in  relation  to  the  Press  in  the  village  of  Newark.  Mr.  W.  promised 
me  he  would  do  so,  but  I  have  never  heard  from  him  on  the  subject. 

Myron  HoUey,  whose  connection  with  the  Press  is  above  adverted  to,  acted 
a  distinguished  part  in  the  public  affairs  of  Western  New-York.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  Canal  Commissioners,  and  afterwards  a  leading  politician 


41 


of  the  Anti-Masonic  party.  In  his  later  years  he  removed  to  Rochester,  and 
attached  himself  politically  to  the  Anti-Slavery  or  Liberty  organization.  He 
died  at  Rochester,  and  his  remains  repose  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  of 
Mount  Hope,  under  an  obelisk  erected  by  his  Liberty  party  friends. 

Mr.  H.  was  a  gentleman  of  fine  taste,  irreproachable  life,  uncommon  tal- 
ents, and  great  uprightness  of  character. 

E.  B.  Gradin  was  at  one  time  the  conductor  of  the  "Wayne  Sentinel,"  but 
his  name  does  not  appear  as  connected  with  that  paper,  in  its  proper  place. 
It  is  true,  Mr.  Tucker  says,  in  a  sort  of  codicil  to  the  statement  of  the  Press 
In  this  County  that,  "the  largest  printing  job  ever  done  in  it,  was  the  first 
edition  of  Jo  Smith's  'book  of  Mormon,'  or  the  'Golden  Bible.'  This  was 
done  at  the  ofllce  of  the  "Wayne  Sentinel,"  by  E.  B.  Gradin,  the  then  pub- 
lisher of  that  paper,  in  1829-'30.  The  edition  of  the  work  was  5000  copies, 
and  the  price  paid  for  the  job,  including  the  binding  was  $3,000."  If  other 
omissions  have  occurred,  and  it  is  possible  there  have,  the  fault  must  be 
charged  to  others,  not  to  me. 

Graham  H.  Chapin,  who  was  at  one  time  connected  with  the  Press  in 
this  County,  is  now  no  more.  He  was  a  Lawyer  by  profession — a  worthy, 
upright  and  honorable  man.  For  one  or  two  terms  he  represented  Wayne 
and  Seneca  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States — subsequently,  upon  hia 
removal  to  the  city  of  Rochester,  he  was  District  Attorney  of  Monroe,  and  so 
far  as  I  am  aware,  in  all  these  stations,  discharged  his  duty  with  the  most 
scrupulous  fidelity.  He  died  while  in  the  execution  of  his  professional  du- 
ties. 

J.  A.  Hadley,  who  was  for  a  time  interested  in  the  Newspaper  Press  at 
Palmyra,  and  also,  at  Lyons,  still  lives  to  honor  the  profession  of  which  ho 
is  a  worthy  member.  No  man  within  the  sphere  of  our  acquaintance  takes  a 
stronger,  or  a  more  decided  stand  for  the  improvement  of  the  members  of 
the  craft,  or  the  craft  itself,  than  Hadley.  He  is  a  practical  Printer,  and  a 
good  one.  While  he  had  charge  of  the  "Freeman,"  in  1829,  he  wrote  and 
published  the  first  article  that  ever  appeared  against  "Mormonism."  He  had 
previously  had  the  printing  of  the  "Book  of  Mormon"  offered  him,  and  at  a 
price  which  would  have  made  it  a  fat  job;  but  he  was  not  to  be  bought 
in  this  way — his  love  of  truth  and  justice  were  greater  than  his  love  of 
money — and  being  satisfied  in  his  own  mind  that  Smith  was  an  imposter,  he 
considered  it  his  duty  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  "ungown  him."  The  task, 
however,  cost  him  the  few  subscribers  he  had,  predisposed  to  "Mormonism." 
Upon  the  heels  of  that  article  followed  the  general  newspaper  war  upon  the 
"golden  humbug."  Mr.  Hadley  is  now  the  Foreman  in  the  establishment  of 
the  "Rochester  Daily  Democrat." 

The  Press  in  this  County  seems  now  to  have  assumed  a  position  of  con- 
siderable permanency  and  stability,  and  I  most  sincerely  hope  and  trust 
that  those  engaged  in  it  are  reaping  a  reward  commensurate  with  their 
rteservings.    As  a  general  thing,  however,  this  is  far  from  being  the  case. 


42 


NIAGARA  COUNTY 


This  County  has  made  wonderful  advances  in  the  way  of  improvement,  and 
t-specially  since  Erie  was  set  off  from  it  in  1821.  Since  that  time  the  "Cat- 
aract County"  stands  forth  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  among  those  of 
Western  New- York.  Her  advantages  in  soil,  timber,  and  water  power,  have 
been  an  inexhaustible  source  of  wealth  to  her  citizens,  and  have  given  ample 
scope  for  the  employment  of  labor  and  capital. 

The  first  paper  printed  in  the  County  was  located  at  Lewiston,  where  it 
was  continued  for  a  short  time  hj  Bartimeus  Ferguson,  who  was  from  Can- 
ada— the  establishment  was  one  that  had  been  brought  from  Scotland,  by 
Andrew  Heron,  and  used  for  several  years  in  Canada,  mostly  at  Niagara.  In 
the  winter  of  1822,  Ferguson  removed  his  establishment  to  Lockport,  the 
County  Buildings  having  been  located  there,  and  the  village  just  commenced. 
The  title  he  gave  his  paper  was  the  "Lockport  Observatory."  In  August, 
1S22,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Orsamus  Turner,  who  continued  its  publica- 
tion until  1826.  Soon  after  the  paper  was  removed  to  Lockport,  another 
took  its  place  at  Lewiston  with  the  title  of  "Lewiston  Sentinel,"  by  Oliver 
Grace.  In  1826,  the  two  papers  were  united  at  Lockport  under  the  title  of 
the  "Sentinel  and  Observatory,"  by  Turner  &  Grace,  for  a  short  time,  and 
afterwards  by  Chipman  P.  Turner  and  N.  D.  Lathrop.  In  1828,  the  estab- 
lishment went  into  the  hands  of  Asa  Story,  and  its  name  changed  to  that 
of  "Lockport  Journal."  In  1829,  It  was  purchased  by  Peter  Besancon,  Jr.,  and 
after  a  short  time  its  name  was  changed  to  that  of  "Lockport  Balance."  In 
1833  or  '34,  a  paper  that  had  been  in  existence  a  short  time,  printed  by  P. 
Baker,  and  called  "The  Gazette,"  was  merged  Avith  it,  and  it  afterwards 
gported  the  name  of  "Balance  and  Gazette,"  by  Baker  &  Besancon.  During 
the  same  year  in  which  the  alliance  was  formed,  it  was  again  dissolved,  and 
Besancon  became  the  sole  proprietor — changed  the  name  back  to  "Balance," 
and  shortly  afterwards  sold  out  to  Isaac  C.  Colton,  who  published  it  until 
3  836,  and  then  sold  out  to  Thomas  H.  Hyatt — he  published  it  until  the  winter 
of  1837,  and  sold  out  to  Turner  &  Lyon,  who,  in  1835,  had  started  the  "Ni- 
agara Democrat,"  with  which  paper  the  "Balance"  was  finally  merged.  Turner 
&  Lyon  published  the  "Democrat"  until  1839,  and  then  sold  out  to  T.  P. 
Scoville.  The  paper  was  continued  by  him,  with  the  exception  of  two  years, 
when  it  was  in  the  hands  of  Samuel  Wright,  until  August,  1846,  when  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Turner  Sc  M'Collum,  by  whom  it  is  now  published. 

In  1827,  the  "Niagara  Courier"  was  started  in  Lockport,  by  Mitchener  Cad- 
wallader.  In  1834,  he  sold  it  to  George  Reece.  In  1839,  Reece  disposed  of 
it  to  Thomas  T.  Flagler.  In  1843,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Crandall  & 
Brigham,  by  whom  the  paper  is  still  continued. 

In  April,  1846,  Stevens  &  Humphrey  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
"Niagara  Cataract"  at  Lockport,  and  the  paper  is  still  published  by  Mr. 
Henry  and  Mr.  Fox,  to  which  latter  gentleman  Mr.  Stevens  disposed  of  his 
interest  in  February,  1847. 


43 


In  1828  or  '29,  a  small  paper  was  started  at  Lockport,  and  continued  for 
about  two  years,  which  gloried  in  the  name  of  "Priestcraft  Exposed."  It 
was  printed  by  Edwin  A.  Cooley. 

About  the  period  of  the  "Patriot  War,"  a  paper  was  published  at  Lewis- 
ton  called,  I  believe,  the  "Frontier  Sentinel,"  by  T.  P.  Scoville. 

The  above  is  supposed  to  comprise  a  full  list  of  the  different  papers  that 
have  been  published  in  this  County.  If  any  are  omitted,  it  is  through  mis- 
take— not  by  design. 

Orsamus  Turner  may  be  regarded  as  the  father  of  the  Press  in  this  Coun- 
ty. It  is  true,  he  was  not  the  first  to  lift  the  curtain  through  which  the 
intellectual  light  of  the  Press  was  to  be  let  in  upon  the  denizens  of  Niagara 
— but  soon  after  the  experiment  was  made,  he  was  found  at  the  helm,  and 
either  as  a  Publisher,  Editor  or  assistant  Editor,  has  continued  at  his  post 
from  1822,  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Turner  is  a  strong  and  vigorous  writer 
— quick  to  perceive  and  prompt  to  execute  his  purposes.  For  one  or  two 
years  he  was  Collector  of  Canal  Tolls  at  Lockport — a  post  of  great  respon- 
sibility, the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  with  entire  satisfaction  to  the 
public,  and  with  credit  to  himself. 

David  S.  Crandall.  This  gentleman  is  senior  Editor  of  the  "Courier."  He 
is  not  a  practical  Printer — but  he  is  at  home  in  almost  everything  else.  Da- 
vid is  a  rare  and  eccentric  genius — full  of  fun,  music  and  frolic.  Well  do  I 
remember  the  many  times  that  he  has  relieved  the  dull  monotony  of  a  long 
and  tiresome  stretch  through  the  Texan  Prairies,  by  his  ever  ready  wit,  and 
the  constant  effervescence  of  his  full  and  generous  spirit.  Nothing  dis- 
couraged him,  or  in  the  least  damped  his  ardor.  Whether  longing  for  water, 
or  drenched  with  rain — whether  bedded  for  the  night  in  the  open  Prairie, 
surrounded  by  howling  wolves,  or  cramped  with  the  gnawings  of  hunger,  he 
was  always  the  same.  Cool  and  determined,  he  was  never  thrown  off  his 
guard.  A  better  companion  or  a  truer  friend  does  not  exist.  Since  his  re- 
turn from  the  South  he  has  been  once  or  twice  elected  Clerk  of  Niagara 
County,  and  has  now  vaulted  into  the  Editorial  chair.  It  is  entirely  unneces- 
sary for  me  to  say  he  has  my  best  wishes  for  his  success. 

Isaac  C.  Colton  has  left  the  Press,  and  taken  to  the  profession  of  the  law. 
He  is  still  a  resident  of  Lockport. 

Chipman  P.  Turner  was  for  a  time  connected  with  the  Press  of  this 
County.  He  possesses  many  good  qualities,  both  of  the  head  and  heart, 
and  has  been  variously  connected  in  business.  He  is  now  Deputy  Collector 
for  the  Port  of  Black  Rock. 

Thomas  F.  Flagler  was  for  a  number  of  years  at  the  head  of  the  "Courier" 
establishment,  and  during  the  time  he  was  in  business,  he  was  twice  re- 
turned a  member  of  the  Legislature  from  Niagara  County. 

<4 


CHEMUNG  COUNTY 

With  the  history  of  the  Press  in  this  County  it  can  hardly  be  supposed, 
that  I  should  have  any  personal  knowledge.  I  have  not,  and  therefore  rely 
entirely  upon  others  for  the  facts  in  regard  to  it.  The  facts  which  follow  in 
regard  to  this  subject  have  been  furnished  by  C.  G.  Fairman  and  are  no 
doubt  mainly  correct. 

The  first  paper  ever  printed  in  this  County  was  called  the  "Telegraph." 
It  was  established  in  the  village  of  Newton,  now  Elmira,  by  Prindle  &  Mur- 
phy. Mr.  Fairman  says  he  has  obtained  a  copy  of  it,  and  that  it  is  a  rare 
relic  of  antiquity — the  paper  upon  which  it  is  printed,  would  in  these  days 
be  considered  unfit  for  wrapping.  This  was  soon  discontinued,  and  the' 
"Vedette"  took  its  place.  In  size  and  appearance  this  paper  followed  very 
nearly  in  the  footsteps  of  its  predecessor.  This  latter  paper  lived  its  allotted 
time  on  earth  and  was  succeeded  by  the  "Tioga  Register,"  by  Job  A.  Smith 
in  1822.  In  1828  its  title  was  changed  to  that  of  "Elmira  Gazette."  In  1831, 
Brinton  Paine  became  associated  with  Mr.  Smith.  Mr.  Paine  continued  in 
the  establishment  until  March,  1833,  when  he  retired,  leaving  it  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Smith.  In  1835,  Mr.  Paine  purchased  the  establishment,  and  was  its 
sole  proprietor,  employing  Thomas  Maxwell  as  Editor.  In  1837,  Cyrus  Pratt 
became  connected  with  Mr.  Paine,  and  Mr.  Maxwell  retired  from  the  Editor- 
ial chair.  In  1838,  Mr.  Pratt  bought  out  Mr.  Paine.  In  1839,  it  was  printed 
by  Pratt  &  Beardsley,  who  continued  its  publication  until  1841,  when  it 
j)assed  into  the  hands  of  Mason  &  Rhodes,  who  are  its  present  publishers. 

The  "where-about"  and  "what-about"  of  its  various  publishers,  is  a  diflicult 
matter  to  determine.  Mr.  Paine,  however,  is  still  in  Elmira,  engaged  in  the 
Drug  and  Medicine  business.    Mr.  Maxwell  resides  in  Geneva. 

The  "Elmira  Republican,"  says  Mr.  Fairman,  as  near  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, was  launched  into  existence  in  the  "Dark  Ages."  The  first  tangible 
period  in  its  history  is  1828,  when  it  was  purchased  by  a  company,  and  for 
the  first  year  thereafter  was  called  the  "Elmira  Whig" — James  Durham  being 
its  publisher.  Then  came  an  interregnum  of  six  months.  In  1829,  it  re-ap- 
peared again  under  the  management  of  C.  Morgan — William  Murphy,  Editor. 
It  was  now  called  the  "Elmira  Republican  and  Canal  Advertiser,"  It  soon 
after  passed  into  the  hands  of  John  Duffy,  and  reverted  back  to  its  original 
simplicity,  being  called  the  "Elmira  Republican."  In  1832,  it  was  bought  of 
the  company  by  Birdsall  &  Huntly.  It  was  conducted  by  them  until  March, 
1826,  when  Mr.  Huntly  retired,  and  the  paper  was  continued  by  Ransom 
Birdsall  until  1841,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Policy  &  Caster,  by  whom  it 
was  conducted  one  year.  Mr.  Caster  then  disposed  of  his  interest  to  D,  M. 
Cook  who  subsequently  purchased  the  entire  concern.  Three  months  after 
this  event,  Mr.  Cook  died,  and  the  paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  E.  S. 
Huntly  and  William  Policy,  under  the  firm  name  of  Wm.  Policy  &  Co.  It  was 
conducted  by  them  for  two  years,  when  in  November,  1845,  they  disposed  of 
the  establishment  to  S.  B.  &  G.  C.  Fairman.    In  July,  1846,  the  former  re- 


45 


tired,  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  the  latter  gentleman.  In  June,  1846,  under 
the  Telegraph  excitement,  the  "Elmira  Daily  Republican"  was  issued.  But 
it  proved  an  unprofitable  experiment,  and  in  about  two  months  was  aban- 
doned. 

The  "Democratic  Citizen,"  published  at  Jefferson,  was  established  about 
three  years  ago  by  J,  I.  Hendrix.  He  is  still  its  publisher  and  Editor.  The 
Press  upon  which  it  is  printed  was  formerly  used  to  print  a  paper  at 
Horseheads,  the  name  and  date  of  which  I  have  been  unable  to  ascertain. 
The  same  Press  was  subsequently  used  in  the  office  of  the  "Chemung  Dem- 
ocrat," which  was  published  at  Havana  a  short  time.  This  did  not  meet 
with  sufficient  support,  and  it  was  removed  to  Jefferson,  and  the  "Democratic 
Citizen"  established. 

The  paper  is  now  called  the  "Havana  Republican"  has  been  published 
about  twelve  years.  It  was  established  by  Nelson  Colegrove,  and  has  been 
published  by  several  different  individuals — among  whom  were  Barlow  Nye, 
and  T.  I.  Taylor.   Its  present  Editor  and  proprietor  is  W.  H.  Ongly. 

The  above,  according  to  Mr.  Fairman's  own  opinion  of  the  matter,  is  an 
imperfect  sketch — owing  mainly  to  the  fact  that  those  who  had  it  in  their 
power  to  render  it  more  complete  and  full,  failed  to  supply  him  with  the  re- 
quisite data  to  enable  him  to  carry  out  his  original  design. 

CAYUGA  COUNTY 

The  attempt  was  made  at  an  early  day  to  establish  the  Press  in  this 
County,  dating  back  to  1798.  Henry  Oliphant  in  his  letter  to  the  Committee 
puts  forth  the  following  interrogatory — "What  other  County  in  the  Western 
District  had  a  paper  as  early  as  1798?"  This  he  will  find  answered  by  a 
reference  to  the  County  of  Steuben,  where  he  will  find  a  paper  was  estab- 
lished as  early  as  1796.  Cayuga  must  therefore  yield  the  palm.  In  June, 
1845,  Mr.  Oliphant  published  the  following  in  his  paper,  under  the  head  of 
"The  Past  and  Present."  As  it  embodies  the  kind  of  information  sought,  I 
shall  give  it  as  I  there  find  it,  in  preference  to  any  remarks  of  my  own: — 

"The  first  newspaper  printed  in  what  now  constitutes  the  County  of  Cay- 
uga, of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  was  the  "Levana  Gazette,  or  Ononda- 
ga Advertiser" — a  small  affair  of  17  inches  by  20,  printed  by  R.  Delano,  in 
'Scipio,  Onondaga  county,  S.  N.  Y.'  July  20th,  1798 — Terms  $2  per  annum. 
The  3rd  No.  is  before  us,  printed  upon  paper  that  would  now  scarcely  be 
thought  suitable  for  wrapping — as  likewise  the  No.  for  November  21st  of 
the  same  year,  which  owing  to  the  failure  of  the  paper-maker  to  supply  the 
requisite  quantity  of  paper,  or  to  the  falling  off  of  custom,  is  greatly  reduced 
in  size,  being  only  15  inches  by  19 — and  printed  upon  paper  which  can 
scarcely  be  compared  to  the  coarsest  and  bluest  of  the  tobacco  paper  of  the 
present  day. — Another  paper — the  "Western  Luminary" — of  similar  charac- 
ter and  appearance  was  published  for  a  short  period  at  Watkin's  Settlement 
Scipio — and  when,  in  1799,  Cayuga  County  was  formed,  and  the  county  busi- 


46 


ness  transacted  for  the  time  being  at  Aurora,  the  office  of  "The  Aurora  Ga- 
zette," was  soon  to  be  observed,  located  in  a  log  edifice  a  little  towards  the 
south  end  of  the  village.  This  was  published  by  Messrs.  H.  «&  J.  Pace,  upon 
type  which  had  probably  done  good  service  in  the  old  world  for  soma 
twenty,  thirty,  or  forty  years,  the  long  s  of  which  and  numerous  other  traits 
bearing  evidence  of  its  antiquity — and  which  after  the  removal  of  the 
county  buildings  to  this  village  in  1805,  was  used  in  enlightening  our  early 
citizens  through  the  columns  of  the  "Western  Federalist."  Its  first  com- 
petitor, if  we  mistake  not,  in  1814,  the  "Cayuga  Patriot,"  originally  issued 
from  the  upper  story  of  a  wagon  maker's  shop  in  Mechanic  street,  (then 
Lumber  Lane,)  forming  a  small  weekly  quarto  of  8  pages — which  has  now 
for  many  years  been  published  in  another  shape  by  Mr.  Isaac  S.  Allen. 
Then  came  (in  1816)  the  "Auburn  Gazette,"  which,  in  typographical  and 
business  appearance,  was  very  far  ahead  of  any  thing  to  be  found  in  this 
section.  It  was  commenced  by  Messrs.  Skinner  &  Crosby,  the  former 
of  whom  was  still  connected  with  the  business  as  publisher  of  the  "Gazette, 
Republican  and  Journal,"  until  January,  1841. 

In  1824,  the  "Auburn  Free  Press"  was  commenced  by  Mr.  Richard 
Oliphant,  and  although  at  that  time  the  sheet  upon  which  it  was  issued  was 
thought  to  be  of  a  monstrous  size — being  larger  than  any  of  the  preceding 
publications  in  this  section,  yet  it  now  appears  scarcely  credible  that  li  was 
not  near  half  the  size  of  our  present  sheet — its  number  of  inches  being 
520,  while  ours  is  1176.  In  the  above  list  of  papers  we  have  overlooked  the 
"Cayuga  Tocsin,""  commenced  at  Union  Springs,  in  1812,  which  after  a 
brief  career  there,  was  removed  to  this  town,  soon  to  lie  down  among  the 
things  that  were — only  to  be  called  to  mind  at  this  day  by  the  establishment 
of  its  namesake  in  1839 — now  published  by  Messrs.  J.  C.  Merrell  &  Co. 

Until  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the  Free  Press,  in  1824,  the  old 
Ramage  or  Screw  Press,  was  the  only  kind  used  in  this  section — and  until 
1829  the  only  mode  adopted  in  the  bestowment  of  Ink  upon  the  form  or 
type,  was  by  the  use  of  large,  heavy,  clumsy  leather  balls.  But  from  that  time 
Improvements  have  rapidly  followed  each  other.  The  introduction  of  the 
Washington  Cast  Iron  Press,  in  '24,  accompanied  as  it  was,  by  the  composi- 
tion roller,  in  '29,  had  greatly  reduced  the  labor  previously  experienced — 
and  the  still  more  recent  invention  of  Seth  Adams  &  Co.,  of  Boston,  one  of 
which  has  just  been  procured  by  us,  cannot  fail  to  make  a  still  more 
thorough  change  in  every  thing  connected  more  especially  with  book-print- 
ing. This  press,  with  the  assistance  of  one  person  to  supply  it  with  paper, 
and  another  to  turn  the  wheel,  will  get  off  more  than  four  limes  as  many 
sheets  in  the  course  of  a  day,  as  the  article  in  ordinary  use;  and  when  it  is 
considered  that  each  sheet  may  be  of  double  the  usual  size  generally  used 
upon  the  old  press,  the  great  advantage  will  be  apparent  to  all.  It  is  a 
beautiful  invention;  and  judging  from  its  workings  for  th^  few  days  it  has 
been  in  operation,  promises  to  work  admirably — 'making  books'  at  a  rate 
which  only  a  few  years  since,  would  have  been  looked  upon  as  altogether 


47 


beyond  belief.  Wiiii  the  exception  of  a  few  of  this  inveiiUou  in  New-York, 
and  a  single  one  in  Albany,  this  is  believed  to  be  the  only  article  of  the 
kind  in  the  State,  affording  advantages  to  such  of  our  publishers  as  wish  to 
avail  themselves  of  its  expeditious  movements — and  to  our  citizens  generally, 
a  view  of  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  mechanism  ever  formed." 

The  publication  of  the  above  article  by  Mr.  Oliphant  seems  to  have 
aroused  the  dormant  early  recollections  of  our  friend  Weed  of  the  "Albany 
Journal,"  and  called  forth  the  following,  which  is  too  good  to  be  lost. 
Speaking  of  the  article  quoted  above,  Mr.  Weed  says: 

"Here  is  a  delightful  reminiscence.  It  recalls  events  and  brightens 
images  which  would  have  long  since  faded  out,  had  they  not  left  their  im- 
pressions upon  the  mind  in  its  spring-time.  Who  that  remembers  Western 
New- York  thirty-five  years  ago,  can  look  upon  the  change  without  amaze- 
ment? Instead  of  the  every  day,  gradual  progress  which  industry  and 
enterprise,  guided  by  intelligence,  accomplishes,  it  seems  as  if  some  Fairy 
had  passed  through  the  wilderness,  converting,  by  a  touch  of  its  wand, 
tangled  forests  into  waving  fields,  log-cabins  into  splendid  mansions,  Indian 
v/igwams  into  Christian  Temples,  and  blind  foot-paths  into  Railroads  and 
Canals. 

"Thirty-three  years  ago,  every  newspaper  in  this  State,  and  nearly  all  in 
the  Union,  were  as  familiar  to  our  eye  as  that  which  now  bears  our  imprint. 
Then  each  Exchange  Paper  had  its  appropriate  wire,  and  was  regularly  filed. 
Ihen  Printing  was  quite  another  affair.  Machinery  has  robbed  "the  Art 
preservative  of  all  Arts"  of  much  of  its  glory.  Rollers  and  Steam  do  the 
work  which  Franklin  performed.  Printers  now  learn  but  half  the  duties 
which  pertained  to  our  craft  in  other  days. 

"The  allusions  in  this  article  to  the  "Western  Federalist,"  the  "Cayuga 
Tocsin,"  and  the  "Cayuga  Patriot,"  carry  us  back  to  an  early  period  in  the 
history  of  the  Press  of  Western  New- York.  We  shall  never  forget  Messrs. 
H.  &  J.  Pace,  of  the  "Western  Federalist,"  at  whose  office  we  called  in 
1S12,  when  on  our  way  to  obtain  a  situation  in  the  "Cayuga  Tocsin"  oifice. 
Those  dumpy  little  Englishmen  were  mounted  upon  stools,  setting  type  that 
must  have  been  cast  soon  after  the  Reformation,  for  they  were  worn  nearly 
down  to  the  first  nick.  Everything  about  the  office,  including  its  Proprietors, 
would  have  induced  the  belief  that  they  came  out  of  the  Ark,  if  there  had 
been  authority  for  supposing  that  Father  Noah  took  a  Printing  Office  on 
board. 

"After  resting  a  few  hours  at  Auburn,  we  footed  it  on  to  "Spring  Mills," 
in  the  "Old  Town  of  Scipio,"  v/here  we  renewed  our  acquaintance  with  the 
space-box  and  shooting-stick,  in  the  "Tocsin"  office,  a  paper  that  rejoiced  in 
one  "Royal  T.  Chamberlain,"  as  its  "Editor  and  Proprietor."  Scipio  was 
then  the  largest  and  richest  town  in  Western  New- York.  They  have  since 
cut  it  up  into  four  or  five  towns. 


48 


"The  Printing  Office  was  situated  upon  the  Lake,  but  we  boarded  some 
three  miles  back,  with  the  Proprietor's  Father.  The  walk  from  the  farm  to 
the  office,  in  the  grey  of  the  morning,  and  the  return  at  twilight,  was  always 
delightful.  The  country  was  just  passing  from  the  primeval  to  the  pastoral 
state,  so  beautifully  illustrated  in  Cole's  magnificent  picture  of  the  Course  of 
Time.  We  were  quite  enchanted,  and  looked  forward  to  much  enjoyment 
there.    But  our  hopes  were  soon  dashed.    Our  'Editor  and  Proprietor'  fell  in 

love!    Miss   S  ,  who  won  his  heart,  rejected  his  hand!    Instead  of 

consoling  himself  with  the  philosophy  which  assures  us  that  there  are  as 
good  fish  in  the  sea  as  those  that  refuse  to  be  caught,  he  would  sit  whole 
days  upon  a  particular  log  looking  at  the  house  in  which  the  idol  of  his 
affections  resided.  Business  was  of  course  neglected,  and  in  a  few  weeks 
the  'Tocsin'  ceased  to  sound  its  alarms. 

"Nor  shall  we  ever  forget  the  'upper  ptory  of  a  wagon-maker's  shop'  where 
the  'Cayuga  Patriot'  was  first  printed,  for  there  we  worked  and  played  and 
laughed  away  most  of  the  winter  of  1814.  Samuel  R.  Brown,  who  published 
the  'Patriot,'  was  an  honest,  amiable,  easy,  slip-shod  sort  of  a  man,  whose 
patient,  good-natured  wife  was  'cut  from  the  same  piece.'  Mr.  Brown,  the 
year  before,  had  been  established  at  Albany  with  a  paper  called  the  "Re- 
publican,' under  the  auspices  of  Gov.  Tompkins,  Chief  Justice  Spencer,  and 
other  distinguished  Republicans,  with  whom  Mr.  Southwick,  of  the  'Register,' 
ond  then  State  Printer,  had  quaiTelled.  But  the  enterprise,  like  every  other 
in  our  old  friend  Brown's  hands,  failed,  and  he  next  found  himself  at  Auburn, 
then  a  small  village  without  a  sidewalk  or  pavement,  and  save  Sacket's 
Harbor,  the  muddiest  place  we  ever  saw.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  were  orig- 
inals. Neither  of  them,  so  far  as  v/e  remember,  ever  lost  temper  or  even 
fretted.  The  work  in  the  office,  was  always  behind  hand,  and  the  house 
always  in  confusion.  The  paper  was  never  out  in  season,  and  neither  break- 
fast nor  dinner  were  ever  ready.  But  it  was  all  the  same.  Subscribers 
waited  for  the  paper  until  it  was  printed,  and  we  waited  for  our  meals  until 
they  were  cooked.  The  office  was  always  full  of  loungers  communicating  or 
receiving  news.  And  but  for  an  amateur  type-setter,  (Richard  Oliphant, 
late  editor  of  the  'Oswego  County  Whig,'  and  brother  of  the  Editor  of  the 
'Auburn  Journal,')  to  whom  we  became  much  attached,  and  who,  though  a 
mere  boy,  used  to  do  a  full  share  of  the  work,  the  business  would  have  fallen 
still  farther  behind  hand.  It  is  not  perhaps  unworthy  of  remark  heie,  that 
three  excellent  and  much  esteemed  Printers,  became  such,  v/ithout  dream- 
ing of  their  destiny,  in  consequence  of  attachments  we  formed  for  them  in 
their  childhood.  We  allude  to  Richard  Oliphant,  of  Oswego,  the  late  John 
Visscher,  of  this  city,  and  the  late  E.  P.  Pellett,  of  the  "Chenango  Tele- 
graph.' John  Visscher,  when  a  mere  boy,  the  son,  as  we  then  supposed,  of 
affluence,  living  next  door  to  the  'Albany  Register  Office,"  passed  all  his 
leisure  time  with  us,  and  became,  without  any  expectation  of  pursuing  the 
business,  a  good  Printer.  This  proved  most  fortunate,  for  when  adversity 
came  upon  his  Home,  he  v/as  master  of  a  profession  which  rendered  him 


:9 


Independent.  Mr.  Pellett  when  a  boy  worked  upon  his  father's  farm,  a  mile 
from  the  village  of  Norwich,  but  the  moment  the  labor  of  the  day  was  over, 
he  started  for  our  ofllce,  where  for  months,  he  was  assiduously  and  diligently 
employed.  Some  years  afterwards,  when  he  had  moved  to  Rochester,  and 
a  paper  was  wanted  at  Norwich,  the  Farmer's  Son  left  his  plough  and  be- 
came its  Printer,  Publisher  and  Editor,  in  all  of  which  positions  he  not  only 
sustained  himself,  but  rose  to  eminence. 

"But  we  forgot  that  these  reminiscences  possess  no  Interest  for  general 
readers.  The  'Auburn  Journal'  article  warmed  up  our  memory,  and  it  has 
been  running  away  with  us." 

In  addition  to  the  facts  in  the  articles  above  quoted.  It  Is  proper  to  state 
that  in  Sept.  1816,  the  "Advocate  of  the  People,"  was  commenced  by  Henry 
C.  Southwick,  advocating  what  was  then  known  as  the  "Low  Salary  Party." 
In  1827,  the  "Gospel  Messenger,"  an  Episcopal  publication,  was  commenced 
by  the  Rev.  Doct.  Rudd — after  a  few  years  it  was  removed  to  Utica,  where 
it  is  still  published. 

In  1833,  the  "Cayuga  Democrat,"  was  commenced  by  Frederick  Prince. 

In  1829,  Henry  Oliphant  became  the  proprietor  of  the  "Auburn  Free  Press," 
previously  published  by  Richard  Oliphant,  which  by  uniting  with  the 
"Cayuga  Republican,"  In  1833,  till  that  time  published  by  Thomas  M.  Skin- 
ner, gave  rise  to  the  "Auburn  Journal  and  Advertiser,"  which  continued  In 
the  hands  of  Henry  Oliphant  until  Sept.  1846.  The  "Auburn  Daily  Ad- 
vertiser" was  commenced  by  Henry  Oliphant  in  March,  1846,  which,  with 
the  Journal,  was  disposed  of  at  the  time  before  stated,  to  Henry  Montgomery, 
formerly  of  Lancaster,  Pa. 

The  "Northern  Christian  Advocate,"  a  Methodist  paper  was  commenced  In 
1841.  It  is  under  the  Editorial  charge  of  Rev.  Nelson  Rounds,  and  has  a 
weekly  circulation  of  near  6,000. 

The  "Star  of  Temperance,"  by  L.  H.  Dewey,  was  commenced  In  1845,  and, 
I  believe,  is  still  published  by  him. 

In  1846,  Professor  Maffltt  established  a  monthly  publication,  the  object  and 
design,  or  even  the  name  of  which,  I  have  not  learned.  The  number  for 
December  closed  its  existence. 

All  the  facts  in  relation  to  the  Press  in  this  County  have  not  been  fur 
nished,  which  it  would  have  been  desirable  should  have  been  placed  upon 
record.  Among  others,  a  prominent  omission  occurs  In  not  mentioning  the 
name  of  Ulysses  F.  Doubleday,  who  was  long  and  honorably  connected  with 
the  "Cayuga  Patriot."  Mr.  D.  was  also  a  Member  of  Congress  from  the 
Cayuga  District,  and  was  for  a  time,  I  believe,  Keeper  of  the  Auburn  State 
Prison.  If  I  am  not  mistaken  he  is  now  In  the  Bookselling  business  in  the 
City  of  New- York. 


50 


SENECA  AND  YATES  COUNTIES. 

It  is  to  be  i^gretted  that  a  more  particular  and  minute  history  of  the 
Press  of  these  two  Counties  could  not  have  been  obtained.  E.J.  Fowle  has 
furnished  what  may  be  regarded  more  in  the  light  of  a  personal  history  of 
himself,  than  a  general  one  of  the  Press — in  doing  so,  however,  although 
himself  a  resident  of  Yates,  he  has  given  a  mere  glimpse  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  Printing  in  both  these  Counties. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  of  the  Franklin  Festival, 
under  date  of  Dec.  24,  1846,  Mr.  Fowle  says:  "I  date  my  connection  with 
the  Press  from  1816,  when  I  commenced  as  an  apprentice  with  Michael 
Hayes,  in  the  office  of  the  "Ovid  Gazette."  The  County  of  Seneca  had  then 
just  been  cut  up  by  the  formation  of  Tompkins,  and  the  Courts  removed  to 
Waterloo.  The  first  paper  ever  printed  in  this  County,  the  "Seneca 
Patriot,"  by  George  Lewis,  had  followed  the  location  of  the  Courts.  One 
object  in  starting  the  paper  at  Ovid  was  to  get  the  Courts  back  half  the 
time.  This  was  accomplished  after  several  years  struggling.  Lewis  soon 
after  this  event  sold  out  at  Waterloo,  to  Hiram  Leavenworth,  who  now, 
I  believe,  conducts  the  "Journal,"  at  St.  Catherines,"  C.  W.  [In  1827,  when 
the  Compositor  of  this  entered  upon  his  apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  Wm. 
L.  Mackenzie,  at  York,  now  Toronto,  he  recollects  frequently  to  have  heard 
the  name  of  Mr.  Leavenworth  mentioned  at  a  Journeyman  having  been 
employed  in  that  office  the  year  previous.  That  he  is  a  good  Printer  and  a 
gentleman  of  taste,  the  exceeding  neatness  of  the  paper  which  he  continues 
to  publish  in  the  flourishing  village  of  St.  Catherines,  affords  ample  proof. 
I'nlike  his  old  employer,  it  is  believed  Mr.  L.  is  possessed  of  a  goodly  share 
of  this  world's  goods,  with  which  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  decline  of  life.] 
Mr.  L.  had  not  been  long  established,  when,  on  account  of  some  trifling 
misunderstanding  with  a  few  of  the  would-be  office-holders  of  that  day,  he 
was  invited  one  evening  by  one  of  the  clique  to  a  conference  at  the  hotel, 
and  while  thus  engaged,  the  others  went  into  the  Printing  Office  and  stole 
and  ran  off  with  the  Press,  Types,  and  all,  and  the  poor  Printer  returned 
only  to  find  a  vacant  room.    So  much  for  the  liberty  of  the  Press! 

"The  appearance  of  most  of  the  papers  of  those  days  would  afford  a  rich 
treat,  if  copies  could  be  found.  They  were  generally  of  very  small  dimen- 
sions— were  printed  on  some  day  during  the  week,  the  proprietors  not  being 
very  particular  which,  and  the  date  affording  no  evidence.  Whenever  the 
'boss'  or  the  boys  had  been  lazy  or  frolicking  too  much,  a  column  or  two  of 
the  latest  news  in  Great  Primer  or  Double  Pica,  was  set  up  by  way  of  help- 
ing along.  Tlie  advertisements  were  rendered  very  conspicuous  by  a  cap- 
tion in  Cannon,  and  many  of  the  cuts  were  of  domestic  manufacture,  and 
would  represent  almost  anything,  'without,'  as  the  almanac  makers  used  to 
say,  'material  alteration.' " 

Mr.  Fowle  remained  in  Ovid  some  five  years — went  to  New-York,  where  he 
worked  for  Aklen  Spooner,  and  the  Messrs.  Plarpers — returned  to  the  West 


51 


— worked  for  William  Ray,  the  Poet,  at  Geneva,  and  for  B.  B.  Drake,  at 
Waterloo,  and  again  for  a  while  at  Ovid.  In  the  fall  of  1823,  he  went  to 
Fenn  Yan,  and  started  the  "Yates  Republican."  Previous  to  this  time,  how- 
ever, A.  H.  Bennett  had  commenced  the  "Penn  Yan  Herald,"  the  name  of 
v/hich  he  soon  changed  to  that  of  "Penn  Yan  Democrat,"  and  which  is  still 
continued  by  his  son,  Clement  V.  Bennett,  and  Alfred  Reed.  Mr.  F.  con- 
tinued the  "Yates  Republican"  something  like  twelve  years,  when  he  aban- 
doned the  Press  and  Types  for  "Dry  Goods,  Groceries,  Crockery,  and  Hard- 
ware," in  which  business  he  is  still  engaged.  The  paper,  under  various 
titles  and  proprietors,  is  still  continued.    Since  he  quit  it,  J.  A.  Hadley, 

now  of  Rochester,  Gilbert,  of  Kalamazoo,  Michigan,  and  William  Childs 

have  had  charge  of  it. — It  is  now  in  the  hands  of  Rodney  L.  Adams;  the 
daily  called  the  "Telegraph,"  and  the  weekly  the  "Yates  County  Whig," 

There  is  also  a  paper  published  in  Yates  County,  at  Dundee,  called  the 
"Dundee  Record,"  but  I  know  not  by  whom,  or  how  long  it  has  been 
published . 

TIOGA  COUNTY. 

The  materials  from  which  to  furnish  a  history  of  the  Press  in  this 
County,  are  meagre  in  the  extreme.  Mr.  Calhoun,  the  Editor  of  the  Oswego 
Advertiser,  has  supplied  the  only  data  from  which  any  facts  can  be  gath- 
ered in  relation  to  it,  and  he  complains  that  others,  from  whom  he  had  a 
right  to  expect  assistance  in  the  matter,  have  failed  to  give  him  any  what- 
ever. 

The  "American  Farmer"  was  established  by  Stephen  Mack,  somewhere 
about  the  year  1800.  In  1815,  it  was  purchased  by  Stephen  B.  Leonard, 
since  Member  of  Congress  from  this  District,  who  changed  the  name  to  the 
**Oswego  Gazette." — Mr.  Leonard  conducted  it  20  years,  and  sold  out  in  1835, 
to  Shurtleff  &  Bull.  This  firm  was  dissolved  in  1837,  and  the  paper  was 
carried  on  by  J.  B.  Shurtleff  till  February,  1839,  when  his  office  with  its 
contents  was  destroyed  by  fire.  In  May,  the  same  year,  the  "Gazette"  was 
again  started  by  E.  P.  Marble,  who  continued  to  publish  it  about  two  years, 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  C.  C.  Thomas,  under  the  Editorial  charge 
of  Alanson  Munger.  Mr.  Thomas  published  the  paper  seven  months  and  sold 
out  to  Thomas  C.Wood,  who  employed  Gideon  O.  Chase  as  Editor.  In  1843, 
another  paper  bearing  the  name  of  the  "Owego  Gazette,"  was  established, 
by  H.  A.  Babe,  formerly  of  Towanda,  Pa.  In  1844,  Wood's  "Gazette"  went 
down,  and  Babe  continued  to  publish  the  other  until  July,  1845,  when  he 
sold  out  to  Thomas  Pearsall,  who  continued  in  charge  of  it  until  May,  1846, 
when  he  sold  to  D.  &  C.  F.  Wallis,  by  whom  it  is  now  carried  on. 

Attempts  were  made  at  various  times  to  establish  a  second  paper,  and  the 
"Republican,"  by  Mr.  Chatterton,  was  in  existence  nearly  a  year,  about  1833. 
In  1836,  A.  H.  Calhoun  established  the  "Owego  Advertiser,"  which  is  now 
continued  by  him. 


52 


WYOMING  COUNTY. 


This  County  originally,  or  at  least  all  except  what  has  been  taken  from 
Allegany  and  added  to  it  since  its  separate  organization  as  a  County,  be- 
longed to  Genesee.  In  this  County,  as  in  most  others,  a  disposition  has  ex- 
isted, to  augument,  unnecessarily,  the  numbers  of  Newspapers.  In  many  cases 
they  were  not  demanded  by  the  business  wants  of  the  County,  and  as  a 
necessary  consequence,  their  existence  has  been  fleeting  and  ephemeral.  It 
is  hoped  past  experience  will  operate  favorably  upon  future  enterprise. 

The  first  paper  printed  in  what  is  now  Wyoming  County,  at  Warsaw,  was 
in  1828,  by  L.  &  W.  Walker,  and  was  called  the  "Genesee  Register."  It  did 
not  number  six  months  when  it  expired. 

The  "Warsaw  Sentinel"  was  established  by  Andrew  W.  Young,  in  May, 
1830.  He  continued  its  publication  until  December,  1831,  when  he  pur- 
chased the  "Republican  Advocate,"  at  Batavia,  and  merged  the  "Sentinel"  in 
that  paper. 

In  1833  or  '34,  David  Scott  established  in  the  Village  of  Attica  a  paper 
called  the  "Attica  Republican."  How  long  it  v/as  continued,  I  am  unable  to 
say,  but  it  is  stated  to  have  eventually  run  into  the  "Attica  Balance,"  by  E. 
A.  Cooley,  Mr.  Scott  continuing  a  regular,  or  occasional,  contributor  to  Its 
Editorial  department,  until  it  underwent  another  change,  and  came  out  the 
"Attica  Democrat"  under  the  entire  control  of  Mr.  Cooley.  It  thus  con- 
tinued until  1846,  when  it  ceased  to  exist. 

In  1834,  the  "Genesee  Recorder"  was  established  at  Perry,  by  George 
M.  Shipper.    It  did  not  live  out  its  first  year. 

The  "American  Citizen"  was  established  by  an  association  of  gentlemen, 
at  Warsaw,  in  1836.  It  was  printed  by  J.  A.  Hadley,  and  for  the  first  few 
months  was  under  the  editorial  supervision  of  A.  W.  Young,  after  which 
time  it  was  assumed  by  Mr.  Hadley,  and  the  paper  was  thus  continued  for 
one  year,  when  it  was  removed  to  Perry,  and  published  by  Mitchell  &  War- 
ren. Soon  after  this  event,  Mr.  Ansel  Warren  retired,  leaving  it  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  David  Mitchell,  who  continued  it  until  January,  1841,  when 
it  was  removed  to  Rochester,  where  it  was  published  one  or  two  years,  and 
then  discontinued. 

It  1838,  a  paper  was  established  at  Pike,  and  at  first  w^as  called  the  "Pike 
Whig,"  but  was  afterv/ards  changed  to  the  "Pike  Gazette."  It  was  con- 
ducted by  Thomas  Carrier,  and  lived  about  one  year.  It  was  established 
to  further  the  project  of  creating  a  new  County,  whose  "seat  of  govern- 
ment" should  be  at  Pike. 

In  1839,  Ansel  Warren,  In  the  oflice  of  the  "American  Citizen,"  published 
"The  Watchtower,"  for  the  Baptist  Association.  It  was  edited  by  Elder  Elon 
Galusha,  and  Rev.  Charles  Van  Loon.    It  lived  but  one  year. 

In  1840,  a  campaign  paper  was  printed  at  Perry,  called  "The  Register," 
under  the  Editorial  management  of  Isaac  N.  Stoddard  and  John  H.  Bailey. 


53 


In  1841,  the  "Perry  Democrat"  was  established  at  the  Village  of  Perry, 
under  the  Editorial  charge  of  Peter  Lawrence.    It  is  still  continued  by  him. 

The  "Western  New-Yorker"  was  commenced  at  Perry,  in  January,  1841. 
It  was  at  first  edited  by  John  H.  Bailey,  who  was  afterwards  succeeded  by 
Barlow  &  Woodward,  and  by  them  the  paper  was  removed  to  Warsaw,  in 
the  summer  of  the  same  year,  soon  after  the  location  of  the  County  build- 
ings. It  was  published  by  these  gentlemen  until  January,  1842,  when  Mr. 
Woodward  retired,  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Barlow. — In  November  of 
the  same  year,  Samuel  S.  Blanchard  entered  the  concern,  and  continued 
with  Mr.  Barlow  until  January,  1843,  when  Mr.  Barlow  retired,  leaving  it  in 
Ihe  hands  of  his  partner,  by  whom  it  is  still  published. 

In  1843,  "The  Countryman"  was  established  at  Perry,  by  N.  S.  Woodward. 
It  was  intended  as  a  successor  to  the  "American  Citizen."  It  soon  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Daniel  S.  Curtis,  and  its  title  was  changed  to  "The 
Impartial  Countryman."  It  was  thus  continued  until  August,  1846,  when 
Ansel  Warren  appeared  as  its  conductor,  and  issued  the  paper  under  the 
title  of  the  "Free  Citizen."  It  has  now,  however,  just  departed  this  life, 
having  died  about  the  1st  of  April,  of  the  present  year,  of  that  dreadful 
malady,  so  fatal  to  many  of  the  Newspapers  of  Western  New- York — want  of 
sufficient  patronage. 

In  1844,  the  "Wyoming  Republican"  was  commenced  at  Warsaw,  by  E.  L. 
Fuller.    Its  publication  was  discontinued  about  the  first  of  March,  1847. 

The  "Attica  Telegraph"  was  established  in  the  Village  of  Attica,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1846,  by  Abraham  Dinsmore.    It  is  still  published  by  him. 

The  "Christian  Investigator,"  is  published  at  the  office  of  the  late  "Free 
Citizen,"  and  edited  by  William  Goodell. 

Of  those  who  have  been,  or  now  are,  interested  in  the  Newspaper  Press 
of  Wyoming,  I  propose  to  say  a  few  words.  Andrew  W.  Young  is  men- 
tioned in  thfc  "Recollections  of  the  Press,"  of  another  County.  In  addition 
to  what  is  there  staled,  I  will  simply  remark,  that  he  is  now  engaijed  in 
th'»  State  of  Ohio,  la  publishing  a  work  similar  to  the  one  put  forth  In  this 
State,  on  the  "Scier.ce  of  Government" — and  with  every  prospect  of  com- 
plete success. 

David  Scott  has  left  the  Editorial  Chair  entirely,  and  is  now  devoting 
himself  to  the  active  business  duties  of  life — a  Merchant,  Miller,  &c.  At 
one  time  he  was  a  Member  of  the  Legislature  from  this  County.  His 
political  course  has  been  rather  erratic,  and  it  is  a  favorite  remark  of  his, 
"that  upon  a  Presidential  Election,  he  is  never  in  the  minority."  Whether 
this  implies  change,  on  the  part  of  David,  or  the  parties  of  the  day,  is  left 
for  others  to  decide.  I  mention  the  fact,  simply  to  show  the  peculiar  char- 
Jicter  of  the  man.  He  possesses  considerable  force  of  mind,  and  withal, 
ivany  good  qualities. 


54 


[J.  A.  Hadley.  This  gentleman,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  preceding  pages, 
has  had  much  to  do  with  the  Newspaper  Press  in  Western  New- York.  He 
has  taken  an  active  part  in  two  Festivals  held  in  Rochester,  and,  it  will  be 
observed  is  a  member  of  the  Committee  for  the  publication  of  these  pro- 
ceedings. It  is  with  regret,  however,  that  we  learn  he  is  about  to  leave  the 
city,  and  the  superintendence  of  the  Democrat  office — a  situation  which  he 
has  occupied  for  the  last  eight  years,  doubtless,  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  the  employers  and  employed  of  that  establishment — and  contemplates 
soon  to  remove  to  Watertown,  Jefferson  County,  Wiskonsan.  He  designs 
publishing  a  paper  in  that  town  on  his  arrival  there,  to  be  entitled  the 
"Watertown  Chronicle."  Mr.  H.  is  one  of  the  tallest  specimens  of  the  Craft, 
being  six  feet  four  inches  in  stature,  which  is  only  two  inches  less  than 
that  of  his  fellow-craftsman.  Long  John  Wentworth,  of  Illinois.  He  is  a 
clever  soul,  and  every  inch  a  gentleman,  and  we  most  cordially  wish  him  In 
his  projected  enterprise,  that  success  and  prosperity  to  which  he  is  so  justly 
entitled. — Eds  American.] 

Samuel  S.  Blanchard  is  still  at  the  head  of  the  "Western  New-Yorker," 
and  it  is  but  justice  to  say,  that  in  his  hands,  the  paper  has  been  well  and 
creditably  sustained. 

Abraham  Dinsmore  was  formerly  an  apprentice  in  the  office  of  the  writer 
of  these  pages — and  without  meaning  or  intending  any  disparagement  to 
ethers  who  may  have  occupied  a  similar  position,  I  trust  I  may  be  permitted 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  great  fidelity  with  which  he  discharged  his  obliga- 
tions while  thus  situated .  Since  that  time  his  course  has  not  been  so 
familiar  to  me.  In  a  business  point  of  view,  I  wish  him  the  most 
unbounded  success. 

Of  some  of  those  engaged  in  the  Press  in  this  County,  I  know  nothing  of 
their  personal  history — while  others  have  been  noticed  elsev/here. 

GENESEE  COUNTY. 

The  Newspaper  Press  in  this  County,  in  its  struggling  infancy,  has  had 
the  same  difficulties  to  contend  with,  that  have  beset  the  attempt  in  other 
Western  Counties.  The  following  history  of  its  rise,  progress,  and  present 
condition,  is  supposed  to  be  correct,  or  nearly  so,  in  almost  every  particular, 
rathough  to  gather  these  facts  together  has  been  the  result  of  considerable 
l.-ibor. 

The  first  paper  printed  in  the  County  of  Genesee  was  established  at 
Batavia,  then,  as  now,  the  County  Seat,  in  the  spring  of  1807.  At  the  date, 
cr  near  it,  indicated  below,  I  addressed  a  letter  to  Benjamin  Blodgett,  Erivi., 
asking  information  in  relation  to  the  early  history  of  the  Press  in  this 
County.  I  received  the  following  letter  from  him,  and  I  cannot  do  better 
justice  to  the  subject  than  by  copying  the  letter  entire.    It  is  as  follows:  — 

Pembroke,  Nov.  25,  1846. 

"Friend  Follett: — I  this  morning  received  your  note  asking  informat'on 


55 


of  the  'rise  and  progress  of  the  Art  of  Printing'  in  this  County.  I  regret 
I  am  not  able  to  give  you  a  more  minute  account.  Not  having  pre- 
served a  file  of  my  old  papers,  I  have  to  depend  merely  upon  memory.  The 
first  paper  established  in  this  County  was  in  the  spring  of  1807.  Elias  Wil- 
liams purchased  in  Manlius,  an  old  Ramage  Printing  Press  that  had  been 
laid  aside  as  useless,  and  a  Box  of  Old  Type  in  pi,  intended  to  sell  for 
Type  metal,  and  brought  them,  in  the  winter  of  that  year,  to  Batavia.  After 
a  laborious  winter's  work  of  assorting  his  old  Type,  and  patching  up  the 
old  Press,  he  published  the  first  number  of  a  paper  called  the  'Genesee  In- 
telligencer.' This  paper  was  printed  upon  a  half  sheet  of  Medium  size,  with 
a  subscription  list  of  100,  and  two  or  three  columns  of  advertisements  from 
the  Holland  Land  Company,  one  Elopement,  and  one  Runaway  Apprentice 
Boy,  for  whose  apprehension  a  Bag  of  Bran  was  offered  as  a  reward.  *  This 
was  all  the  advertising  patronage,  if  my  recollection  serves  me  right,  that 
the  paper  commenced  with.  The  paper  was  a  sorry  looking  thing — the 
mechanical  execution  being  so  bad  that  it  would  have  puzzled  a  Philadel- 
phia Lawyer  to  find  out  what  it  was.  I  ought  to  have  preserved  a  copy 
—it  would  be  looked  upon  by  the  craft  at  this  day,  not  only  as  a  literary 
but  a  mechanical  curiosity.  Williams  becoming  disheartened  at  the  shabby 
appearance  of  his  paper,  and  about  to  fail  for  the  want  of  funds,  induced 
me  to  go  into  partnership  with  him.  Anxious  to  see  my  name  at  the  head  of 
a  newspaper,  as  Printer,  Publisher,  and  Editor,  too,  of  the  'Genesee  Intelli- 
gencer,' I  embarked  my  all  of  this  world's  effects  in  the  enterprise,  which 
amounted  to  the  vast  sum  of  forty-eight  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents,  the 
hard  earnings  of  the  summer  before,  as  Pack  Horseman  and  Cook  to  a  com- 
p:»ny  of  Surveyors  on  the  Holland  Purchase — a  pursuit  better  fitted  to  my 
capacity,  at  that  day,  than  Editor  of  the  'Genesee  Intelligencer.' 

"About  the  first  of  July,  1807,  the  firm  of  Williams  &  Blodgett  resumed 
the  publication  of  the  'Intelligencer'  with  an  increased  subscription  list  and 
advertising  patronage.  After  publishing  13  numbers,  Williams  went  to 
Alexander  to  attend  a  Military  Review,  and  has  never  since  been  seen  or 
heard  of  in  this  country.  This  unceremonious  leave-taking  of  Williams  put 
a  mighty  damper  upon  the  prospects  of  Mr.  Editor  Blodgett,  who  instead  of 
realizing  the  golden  dreams  he  had  anticipated,  found  himself  involved  in 
debt  about  $300,  flat  on  his  back  with  the  fever  and  ague,  which  con- 
tinued about  six  months  without  intermission;  and  for  the  want  of  help, 
not  being  a  practical  Printer  myself,  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  publication 
of  the  'Intelligencer.'t  However,  in  the  spring  of  1808,  I  rallied  again,  and 
in  company  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Peck,  I  started  the  'Cornucopia,'  (a 

*  The  advertisement  no  douot  was  written  by  the  printer,  as  they  are  u.sually 
called  upon  to  perform  such  little  duties,  and  the  reward  was  no  doubt  suggested 
to  his  mind  for  the  reason  that  the  paper  was  published  in  a  portion  of  the  Mill, 
a  room  being  set  apart  for  that  purpose. 

t  It  Is  worthy  of  rom.ark.  that  the  enterprise  undertaken  by  Mr.  Blodgett  was 
entirely  new  to  him,  he  never  having  seen  the  Inside  of  a  printing  office  until  about 
the  time  he  entered  the  "Intelligencer"  establishment  as  part  proprietor  and  edi- 
tor. 


56 


very  classic  name,)  with  an  enlarged  sheet  and  new  type,  under  the  firm 
of  Peek  &  Blodgett,  with  a  subscription  list  of  about  300.  Irf  the  fall  of 
1811,  Peek  was  taken  sick  and  died, '  and  with  his  death  tile  'Cornucopia' 
went  down. 

"I  then,  under  the  mechanical  superintendence  of  David  C.  Miller,  (after- 
wards Colonel,  with  his  little  Cane  and  Breeches,)  commenced  the  publica- 
tion of  the  'Republican  Advocate,'  with  a  new  Press  and  new  Type,  and 
continued  its  publication  for  several  years,  when  I  sold  out  to  Colonel 
Miller,  who  became  sole  proprietor  of  that  paper. 

"Your  friend, 

"BENJAMIN  BLODGETT." 

This  was  the  first  paper  ever  established,  I  believe,  which  was  called  the 
"Advocate."  Since  that  time,  however,  many  a  bantling  has  sprung  into 
existence  bearing  that  cognomen. 

The  "Republican  Advocate"  continued  in  the  hands,  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Col.  Miller  until  April,  1828,  when  he  took  into  Co-partnership  Charles 
Sentell,  by  whom  it  was  conducted  until  July,  1829,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hfinds  of  Charles  W.  Miller,  and  was  continued  by  him  until  the  21st  of 
Nov.  1831,  when  he  died.  The  paper  was  continued  without  any  acknowl- 
edged proprietor,  until  the  17th  of  January,  1832,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Edwin  Hough  and  Andrew  W.  Young,  the  latter  gentleman  having 
been  engaged  in  the  publication  of  the  "Warsaw  Sentinel."  On  the  13th 
Nov.  1832,  Hough  left  the  establishment  in  the  hands  of  Young.  On  the 
8th  of  April,  1835,  Young  transferred  the  office  to  Lewis  &  Brown,  who 
continued  the  paper  for  three  weeks,  and  then  it  reverted  back  again  to  Mr. 
Young.  The  establishment  was  then  sold  to  C.  C.  Allen,  who  continued  its 
publication  for  four  vv^eeks,  when  he  surrendered  the  establishment  to  Mr. 
Young  again.  Young  printed  a  half  sheet  to  give  the  paper  an  existence, 
and  then,  on  the  8th  of  June,  1835,  sold  out  to  Waite  &  Cooley.  This  co- 
partnership continued  until  the  16th  of  Sept.  of  the  same  year,  when  Cooley 
retired  f  om  the  establishment,  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Waite,  by 
v/hom  it  is  still  continued. 

On  the  3rd  day  of  February,  1819,  the  first  number  of  the  "Spirit  of  the 
Times,"  was  issued  at  Batavia,  by  Oran  Follett,  on  which  occasion  the  writer 
ol"  this  made  his  first  attempt  at  Type  setting.  The  "Times"  was  continued 
by  the  same  proprietor  until  May,  1825,  when  Frederick  Follett,  purchased 
the  establishment  of  his  brother,  and  was  duly  Installed  Editor  and  Proprie- 
tor, and  continued  as  such  until  August,  1836,  when  being  fired  by  an  extra 
love  of  liberty,  and  desiring  to  participate  in  the  struggle  then  in  progress 
ill  Texas,  sold  the  establishment  to  a  number  of  gentlemen,  and  repaired  to 
the  country  of  the  "Lone  Star."  The  establishment  was  then  placed  in  the 
hands  of  Nelson  D.  Wood,  who  continued  at  its  head  until  the  writer's  re- 
turn, who,  on  the  17th  of  August,  1837,  again  found  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  "Times,"  and  continued  in  that  capacity  until  the  11th  of  June,  1840, 


57 


when  the  "Times,"  passed  into  the  hands  of  Lucas  Seaver,  who  continued 
Its  publication  until  the  28th  of  January,  1845,  when  he  disposed  of  it  to 
William  Seaver,  and  William  A.  Seaver,  by  whom  it  is  still  continued  under 
the  firm  of  Wm.  Seaver  &  Son. 

The  publication  of  the  "Leroy  Gazette"  was  commenced  in  the  village  of 
that  name,  about  the  year  1826,  by  J.  O.  Balch,  who  continued  it  until 
1827,  when  he  disposed  of  it  to  Starr  &  Hotchkin,  who  continued  in  partner- 
ship about  a  year  and  a  half,  when  Hotchkin  retired,  and  sometime  in  1828 
Henry  D.  Ward  became  associated  with  Mr.  Starr  in  its  publication,  and 
thus  continued  until  1832,  when  Ward  left  the  establishment  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Starr.  In  1833  Richard  Hollister  became  the  owner,  Starr  continuing 
as  the  publisher..  In  1835,  Rufus  Robertson  became  part  owner,  and  in  1836, 
sole  proprietor  of  the  establishment,  and  then  in  connection  with  F.  L.  Good- 
rich, as  partner  continued  the  paper  until  Jany  1838,  when  Robertson  dis- 
posed of  his  interest  to  Seth  M.  Gates  and  Martin  O.  Coe,  by  whom,  with 
Goodrich  as  the  owner  of  the  other  half,  it  was  continued  until  Nov.  or  Dec. 
1838,  when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Cyrus  Thompson,  who  continued  its 
publication  until  June,  1840,  when  the  present  proprietor,  C.  B.  Thompson, 
became  the  owner  and  has  since  continued  the  publication  of  the  "Leroy  Gazette" 

In  the  year  1829,  Orestes  A.  Brownson,  as  Editor,  and  Freeman  &  Son,  as 
Printers,  commenced  the  publication,  in  the  village  of  Leroy,  of  the  "Gen- 
esee Republican  and  Herald  of  Reform,"  which  had  an  existence  of  a  year 
or  two,  and  was  then  discontinued. 

The  "People's  Press,"  owned  by  an  association  of  individuals,  and  printed 
by  Benjamin  Blodgett,  was  commenced  in  the  village  of  Batavia,  in  1825, 
and  was  continued  by  Mr.  Blodgett  for  about  a  year,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Martin,  Adams  &  Thorp.  Soon  after  Mr.  Martin  retired  from  the 
establishment  leaving  it  in  the  hands  of  Adams  &  Throp — another  change 
soon  after  took  place,  and  the  establishment  passed  into  the  hands  of  Adams 
&  McCleary.  The  paper  was  afterwards  merged  in  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times" 
and  finally  its  name  has  become  extinct. 

The  "Morgan  Investigator"  was  the  title  of  a  small  paper  published  at  the 
office  of  the  "Republican  Advocate"  soon  after  the  excitement  of  1826  broke 
out.  It  was  continued  about  a  year  and  then  expired.  Its  title  is  a  suffi- 
cient indication  of  the  purposes  of  its  origin. 

The  "Masonic  Intelligencer"  was  also  started  about  the  same  period,  and 
for  purposes  directly  the  reverse  of  the  former.  It  was  published  at  the 
office  of  the  "People's  Press."    It  attained  about  the  same  age. 

The  "Farmer's  and  Mechanic's  Journal,"  published  at  Alexander  by  Peter 
Lawrence,  was  commenced  on  the  4th  day  of  Nov,  1837.  It  was  continued 
there  until  its  purchase  and  removal  to  Batavia  in  June,  1840. 

On  leaving  the  office  of  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  June  11th,  1840,  the 
vriter  of  this  in  connection  with  Peter  Lawrence,  who  until  that  time  had 


58 


published  the  "Farmer's  and  Mechanic's  Journal,"  at  Alexander,  commenced, 
in  the  village  of  Batavia,  the  publication  of  the  "Batavia  Times  and  Farmers 
and  Mechanics  Journal,"  the  first  number  of  which  paper  was  issued  on  the 
ISth  day  of  June,  1840.  Lawrence  continued  in  the  establishment  for  two 
or  three  months,  when  the  writer  took  the  establishment  into  his  own  hands, 
and  continued  its  publication  until  the  20th  of  Sept.,  1843,  when  the  "good 
will"  of  the  establishment  was  disposed  of  to  Lucas  Seaver,  who  was  then 
the  proprietor  of  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times." 

The  "Temperance  Herald"  was  the  title  of  a  small  paper  printed  by  Lucas 
Seaver,  and  Issued  from  the  office  of  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times."  The  first 
number  was  issued  in  March,  1842,  and  was  continued  for  one  year.  It  was 
devoted,  as  is  implied  by  its  title,  to  the  cause  of  Temperance. 

The  "Genesee  Courier,"  by  E.  Bliss,  was  established  at  Leroy  in  the 
Ppring  of  1844.  It  was  continued  about  one  year,  and  was  then  discontin- 
ued.   Mr.  Bliss  is  now  publishing  a  paper  at  Racine,  Wisconsin. 

Having  gone  through  with  an  enumeration  of  the  different  Newspapers 
established  in  this  County  for  the  last  forty  years,  my  task  may  be  con- 
sitlered  as  ended.  But  what  has  become  of  the  founders  of  those  establish- 
monts?  This  inquiry  is  an  interesting  one,  and  it  may  not  be  wholly  un- 
profitable to  give  the  answer. 

Elias  Williams,  the  pioneer  of  the  Newspaper  Press  in  this  county,  as 
lias  bef)re  been  stated,  left  the  field  of  his  early  labors  in  a  most  abrupt 
and  uriceremonious  manner — and,  as  stated,  has  never  since  been  seen  or 
heard  of  in  this  county.  Whether  he  was  spirited  away,  by  some  of  the 
evil  geniuses,  who  in  early  times  were  associated  with  the  Craft  in  the 
minds  of  the  vulgar  or  uninformed — or  whether  he  was  actuated  by  a  more 
noble  and  magnanimous  principle,  and  "left  his  country  for  his  country's 
good,"  is  really  more  than  I  can  say.  It  however  has  been  suggested  to  us 
by  his  old  partner,  that  the  reason  why  Williams  thus  made  himself  scarce 
in  these  parts,  was  this: — Previous  to  the  review  in  question  both  proprie- 
tors of  the  "Intelligencer" — (Printers  are  celebrated  for  their  military  pro- 
pensities*)-— were  elected  Corporals  of  a  Company  in  Batavia,  and  on  re- 

•  Friend  Follett  is  correct  in  his  opinion  relative  to  the  martial  spirit  of  the 
Craft.  Who  ever  doubted  the  heroism  and  bravery  of  Printers?  They  are  natural- 
1>  a  generous,  whole-souled  set  of  fellows,  and  always  first  to  espouse  the 
cause  of  their  country,  liberty,  and  humanity,  and  to  stand  up  manfully  in  de- 
fence thereof.  The  following  incident  which  occurred  at  the  seat  of  war  in  Mex- 
ico, will  show  the  larg^e  number  of  the  members  of  the  profession  In  our  army: 

"General  Scott,  on  a  recent  occasion,  wanted  to  have  some  general  orders  printed 
at  a  given  time.  He  sent  directions  to  the  office  of  the  "Tampico  Sentinel"  to 
have  them  done.  He  was  told  that  In  consequence  of  the  scarcity  of  compositors, 
the  work  could  not  be  accomplished.  He  then,  on  the  morning  parade,  ordered  all 
printers  to  step  forward  three  paces  from  the  ranks,  when  several  hundred  men 
--all  Printers — obeyed  the  order." 

In  the  war  between  Texas  and  Mexico,  the  Craft  were  equally  chivalri/i,  and  the 
ludicrous  feat  of  capturing  Santa  Anna  by  treeing  him,  it  is  well  known,  was  per- 
formed by  a  Printer. 


59 


pai'-ing  to  Alexander  to  be  reviewed,  Williams  thought,  especially  as  it  was 
the  bounden  duty  of  military  men  to  fight,  that  he  would  get  up  a  little 
bit  of  a  row — and  as  it  generally  happens  in  such  cases  that  somebody  must 
get  licked,  the  lot  fell,  most  unfortunately,  upon  Williams.  Having  got 
most  essentially  thrashed  out — both  eyes  put  in  mourning,  for  the  sins  of  the 
inner  man,  I  suppose,  he  decamped.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain — Wil- 
liams has  left  an  interregnum  in  his  history  which  it  is  impossible  for  me 
to  supply,  and  I  am  therefore  compelled  thus  to  leave  his  name  wrapped 
In  mystery  and  doubt. 

Benjamin  Blodgett,  the  next  in  order  as  the  pioneer  of  Printing  in  this 
County  is  still  living.  After  catering  for  many  years,  for  the  appetite  of 
the  reading  public,  he  abandoned  the  Printing  business,  and  commenced 
catering  for  the  traveling  public.  Who  that  has  travelled  on  the  great 
thoroughfare  to  Buffalo,  before  the  introduction  and  completion  of  the  iron 
roads,  does  not  remember  the  "Richville  Cottage?"  It  was  a  frequent  re- 
mark of  travellers,  that  at  no  place  between  Albany  and  Buffalo,  did  they 
fare  so  well  or  so  bountifully,  as  at  the  "Cottage" — and  this  was  kept  by 
our  old  friend  Benjamin  Blodgett,  who  still  resides  at  Pembroke,  and  I  hope 
he  may  long  continue  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings  of  this  life.  Speak- 
ing of  the  "Richville  Cottage,"  brings  to  our  mind  a  very  happy  notice  of 
cur  old  friend  which  originally  appeared  in  the  "Knickerbocker,"  written  by 
the  lamented  Willis  Gaylord  Clark,  in  1836,  and  is  as  follows:  — 

"Traveler! — as  thou  wendest  towards  the  West,  if  thou  art  within  some 
fifteen  miles  of  Batavia,  and  thinkest  of  pausing  for  the  night,  rescind  the 
mental  resolution,  and  post  on  to  that  tov/n.  There  shalt  thoa  experience  a 
good  bed,  and  delicious  lest,  with  the  murmur  of  the  Tonnawauta  breathing 
upon  the  night  air  thy  quiet  lullaby.  Do  this;  to  the  end  that,  rising  in  the 
morning,  thou  go  to  Richville,  and  there  to  breakfast,  v/hich  is  an  hospita- 
ble town,  and  hath  an  hotel  whose  :iuperior  is  not  to  be  found,  whether 
they  go  to  the  south-west  or  north-v/est,  or  indeed  to  any  point  of  the  com- 
pass. Comfortable  and  expeditious  Blodgett!  The  voiuminousness  of  thy 
periphery  indicateth  the  epicure;  upon  the  pullets  thou  sacrifcest,  are  the 
pln-feathers  of  youth;  thy  warm  cakes  are  done  deliciously  brown;  thy  yel- 
low butter,  thy  irreproachable  eggs,  thy  unimpeachable  coffee — my  mnemno- 
cal  palate  remembers  them  all.  Murder  Creek,  too  is  in  thy  vicinity;  as  it 
goes  moaning  onward  under  the  rude  bridge  that  spans  it,  the  reflection  of 
blight  red  mills  upon  its  shore  as  they  give  back  the  sunbeam,  gives  it  mur- 
der's proper  hue  and  'damned  spot.'  The  tradition  is,  that  a  poor  crazy 
old  man  was  killed  here  by  the  Indians,  many  years  ago,  in  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  country: 

In  Paris,  too,  in  July,  1830,  when  Charles  X.,  King  of  the  French,  attempted  to 
stifle  the  Liberty  of  the  Press,  did  not  the  Printers  turn  out  en  masse?  Such  was 
the  terrific  character  of  the  revolution  v.hich  ensued,  that  it  has  since  been  appro- 
priately styled  "the  great  three  days  in  Paris."  The  liberties  of  the  people  were 
preserved,  although  at  the  expense  of  the  lives  of  thousands,  whose  blood  was 
made  to  flow  in  torrents  in  the  streets  of  that  city! — Eds.  American. 

C3 


'May  he  be  true,  may  he  be  no  so: 

We'll  grant  it  is,  and  let  it  go  so.' 
At  any  rate,  (Blodgett,  I  thank  thee  for  the  sentence,)  If  Richville  hath  the 
memory  of  death,  it  hath  likewise,  and  in  full  profusion,  the  means  of  life." 

 Peek,  whose  first  name  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn,  although  dili- 
gent inquiry  has  been  made,  died  in  this  Village  in  the  fall  of  1811,  while 
engaged  in  the  publication,  with  Blodgett,  of  the  "Cornucopia." 

David  C.  Miller.  It  cannot  be  denied  but  what  Miller  possessed  a  very 
considerable  degree  of  talent,  and  a  reasonable  share  of  shrewdness.  All  will 
remember  tlie  conspicuous  part  he  bore  in  the  exciting  times  which  followed 
the  abduction  of  William  Morgan,  in  1826.  Miller  was  afterwards  elected 
County  Clerk — took  the  stump  as  a  candidate  for  Congress — was  defeated, 
and  finally  left  in  1832,  or  '33,  cursing  the  party,  or  its  leaders,  as  guilty 
of  ingratitude.  The  last  intelligence  of  this  man  loca'ted  him  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

Oran  Follett  continued  the  publication  of  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  until 
1825,  when  he  sold  out.  In  the  fall  of  1824,  he  was  returned  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  from  this  County.  After  disposing  of  the  "Times,"  he  uni- 
ted with  Day  &  Haskins  in  the  publication  of  a  paper  at  Buffalo.  From 
thence  he  removed  to  Sandusky  City,  Ohio,  where  he  now  resides,  and  is 
President  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works  in  that  State. 

Frederick  Follett,  his  successor  in  the  publication  of  the  "Times,"  contin- 
ued it  from  1825  until  1840,  with  an  interruption  of  one  year — then  published 
the  Times  &  Journal,  until  1843 — since  which  time  he  has  been  serving  the 
public  in  the  capacity  of  Post  Master  of  the  Village  of  Batavia. 

J.  O.  Balch,  the  founder  of  the  "LeRoy  Gazette,"  the  last  I  heard  of  him, 
he  was  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Illinois.  Whether  he  is  still  in  the  Print- 
ing business,  or  what  are  his  prospects  in  life,  is  more  than  I  can  say. 

Elisha  Starr  is  still  living,  and  a  resident  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin — a 
clever,  good  natured,  easy  soul,  well  calculated  to  pioneer  the  way  to  for- 
tune for  others,  but  never  ready  to  grasp  it  for  himself.  I  hope  the  "blind 
goddess"  will  yet  see  fit  to  force  a  fortune  upon  him. 

Beriah  B.  Hotchkin.  The  whereabouts  of  this  branch  of  the  Corps  Edi- 
torial of  Genesee  County  is  unknown  to  me. 

Henry  D.  Wade,  some  years  since,  took  up  his  line  of  march  for  the  West, 
and  at  one  time  was  figuring  as  Cashier  of  a  Bank  in  Illinois. 

There  were  a  number  of  owners  of  the  "Gazette"  after  this,  but  as  they 
did  not  belong  to  the  Craft,  we  are  disposed  to  pass  them  by  until  we  come 
to 

Franklin  L.  Goodrich.  This  gentleman  is  still  in  the  land  of  the  living — 
and  at  present  has  charge  of  the  mechanical  part  of  the  Republican  Advo- 
cate. 


61 


Cyrus  Thompson,  who  had  charge  of  the  "Gazette"  from  1838  to  1840,  has 
left  the  case  and  taken  a  stand  upon  the  soil.  In  other  words,  he  has  turned 
farmer. 

Charles  B.  Thompson,  who  is  now  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  "Ga- 
zette," is  doing  better,  I  hope,  in  the  way  of  his  profession  than  his  prede- 
cessors. The  paper  seems  to  be  better  sustained,  and  has  every  indication 
of  alTording  a  good  living. 

Orestes  A.  Brownson,  who  edited  the  "Genesee  Republican,"  is  now,  and 
has  been  for  a  number  of  years,  the  Editor  of  the  New  England  Review — a 
man  of  great  and  acknowledged  talent,  but  somewhat  ultra  and  impractica- 
ble in  his  views.  The  following  story  is  told  in  connection  with  this  gen- 
tleman:— Some  years  since,  v/hile  in  England,  the  Hon.  Daniel  Webster 
culled  upon  Lord  Brougham.  Various  topics  formed  the  theme  of  conver- 
sation, until  finally  the  literature  of  America  was  touched  upon.  Being 
aware  that  Webster  and  Brownson  were  inhabitants  of  the  same  city.  Lord 
Brougham  made  the  following  inquiry  of  his  visitor: — "I  suppose,  Mr.  Web- 
ster, you  are  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Brownson?"  With  real  or  affected 
ignorance  of  the  subject  of  the  inquiry,  Mr.  Webster  replied  "Brownson, 
Brownson — what  Brownson  do  you  mean.  Sir?"  "Why  O.  A.  Brownson,  to 
be  sure.  Sir."  "I  do  not  know  the  man,"  replied  Mr.  Webster.  "Well,  then," 
answered  Lord  Brougham,  "permit  me  to  tell  you,  Sir,  that  you  have  not  the 
honor  of  an  acquaintance  with  one  of  the  greatest  writers  in  America!" 

Andrew  W.  Young  is  still  living.  He  resides  at  Warsaw,  in  the  County 
of  Wyoming.  Since  leaving  the  Printing  business,  Mr.  Young  has  turned  au- 
thor, and  his  work  upon  "Science  of  Government,"  designed  for  a  School 
Book,  has  met  with  an  extensive  sale,  and  is  deservedly  popular.  Mr.  Young 
has  been  twice  elected  to  the  Legislature  from  Wyoming,  and  was  returned 
a  member  of  the  late  Convention  to  revise  the  Constitution  of  this  State, 
from  the  same  County. 

Lewis  &  Brown.  The  former  gentleman  is  the  Editor  of  a  paper  at  Mar- 
shall, Michigan,  where  he  has  resided  for  some  years.  Mr.  Brown,  I  believe, 
is  also  printing  a  paper  in  Michigan. 

C.  C.  Allen  prints  the  "Sciota  Gazette,"  at  Chilicothe,  Ohio,  and  if  the  ap- 
pearances of  the  paper  indicate  anything,  he  is  doing  well. 

Daniel  D.  Waite  still  presides  at  the  head  of  the  "Republican  Advocate," 
and  unlike  his  predecessors  in  the  Printing  Business  in  Batavia  by  good 
management  and  strict  economy,  has  been  able  to  sustain  himself  respect- 
ably, and  lay  by  something  for  a  rainy  day.  I  certainly  rejoice  at  this,  al- 
though it  is  unlike  the  luck  of  Printers  generally.  We  hope  his  case  may 
alwaj^s  be  full. 

E.  A.  Cooley,  who  was  at  one  time  concerned  in  the  publication  of  the 
"Republican  Advocate,"  and  who  afterwards  published  a  paper  in  Attica, 
Wyoming  County,  is  now  publishing  a  paper  at  Beloit,  V/isconsin  Territory. 


62 


Daniel  P.  Adams,  for  some  time  one  of  the  publishers  of  the  "People's 
Press,"  like  too  many  of  the  Craft,  belongs  to  that  order  of  men  whose  pil- 
grimage through  life  seems  always  to  be  "up  hill."  Honest  and  industrious, 
he  makes  a  good  living.  After  leaving  Batavia,  he  published  a  paper  at 
Black  Rock.    He  is  now  a  journeyman  in  Buffalo. 

John  Throp,  another  publisher  of  the  "People's  Press,"  went  to  New-Or- 
leans, and  fell  a  victim  soon  after,  to  the  prevailing  fever  of  that  region. 

David  C.  McCleary,  who  was  also,  at  one  time,  the  Editor  of  the  "People's 
Press,"  now  slumbers  with  the  silent  dead.  Mr.  McCleary  was  a  young 
man  of  no  ordinary  talent.  He  was  an  easy  and  forcible  writer,  and  had  he 
lived,  would  have  become  conspicuous  among  the  writers  of  the  age.  But 
his  health  was  always  feeble,  which  finally  compelled  him  to  adandon  the 
active  duties  of  life.  He  repaired  to  the  home  of  his  childhood,  in  Vermont, 
but  it  was  only  to  mingle  his  ashes  with  those  who  had  preceded  him  in  the 
drama  of  life.  His  death  was  universally  regretted.  He  was  a  brother-in-law 
of  Col.  William  Seaver,  of  this  Village,  and  now  the  senior  Editor  of  the 
"Times." 

Peter  Lawrence,  originally  of  the  "Farmers  &  Mechanics'  Journal,"  and  af- 
terwards associated  with  Frederick  Follett  In  the  publication  of  the  "Times 
&  Journal,"  is  now  Editor  of  the  "Perry  Democrat."  Mr.  Lawrence  is  a 
rare  genius — full  of  humor,  wit  and  Jovial  good  feeling — a  fast  friend  and 
an  unflinching  enemy.  Like  too  many  of  the  same  profession,  he  is  satis- 
fied with  doing  well,  without  attempting  to  do  better. 

Lucas  Seaver.  It  is  far  more  difficult  to  speak  of  the  living,  than  the 
dead.  The  subject  now  under  consideration  Is,  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
a  living  one.  He  was,  in  years  gone  by,  an  apprentice  in  the  office  of  the 
writer  of  this,  and  for  that  reason,  if  for  no  other,  I  feel  that  I  am  privi- 
leged to  speak  with  freedom.  With  warm  and  generous  impulses,  misfortune 
never  appeals  to  him  In  vain,  and  he  too  often  permits  these  Impulses  to  dis- 
place from  Its  seat  the  trite,  but  too  frequently  neglected  adage,  "charity 
begins  at  home."  He  Is  firm  In  his  friendship — jovial,  kind-hearted,  and 
generous  in  his  intercourse  with  his  companions;  firm,  manly,  and  unflinch- 
ing In  his  walk  through  life  thus  far.  I  can  only  hope  in  his  case,  and  this 
hope  is  extended  to  all  of  whom  I  have  spoken,  that  his  case  may  always 
be  full — that  he  may  never  run  out  of  sorts — and  that  when  the  last  token 
shall  be  finished  and  the  form  locked  up  for  Its  final  transition,  he,  with 
them,  may  be  distributed  among  the  great  font  of  the  blest,  without  a  monk 
or  a  friar  to  mar  the  beauty  of  their  last  page. 


63 


GENERAL  REMARKS 


I  have  endeavored  in  the  preceding  pages  to  give  as  faithful  a  History 
of  the  Newspaper  Press  of  Western  New-York,  as  the  materials  furnished 
me,  and  my  own  recollection  on  the  subject  will  permit.  If,  in  reference 
to  some  of  the  Counties,  that  history  is  not  so  close  and  full  as  could  have 
been  desired,  the  fault  is  attributed  to  those  who  ought  to  have  felt  most 
solicitude  on  the  subject;  but  who,  from  negligence,  or  it  may  be,  the  press 
of  other  avocations,  have  omitted  to  communicate,  although  repeatedly  re- 
quested to  do  so  by  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  previous  to  the  Fes- 
tival, and  subsequently  by  the  Committee  of  Publication,  with  either  of 
those  Committees  or  with  myself,  furnishing  such  facts  as  would  have  con- 
tributed to  the  correction  of  the  same. — Two  Counties,  Allegany  and  Tomp- 
kins, I  have  been  compelled  to  leave  out  entirely,  and  for  reasons  wholly  be- 
yond my  control.  Persons  in  those  Counties  supposed  to  be  competent  have 
been  notified  of  the  intentions  of  those  Committees,  and  that  it  was  very  de- 
sirable that  the  work  should  be  full  and  complete,  so  far  as  the  Counties  em- 
braced in  the  scope  of  the  Committee  were  concerned — but  all  to  no  effect. 

Among  those  who  may  be  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  older  class  of  set- 
tlers of  this  interesting  portion  of  New- York  these  reminiscences  must 
have  the  effect  of  renewing  scenes  and  events  long  past,  and  that  otherwise 
might  have  slumbered  in  oblivion.  Among  Printers,  they  will  possess  a 
peculiar  interest.  The  changes  and  improvements  that  have  been  made  in 
the  Newspaper  Press  for  the  last  lifty  years,  have  been  truly  wonderful — 
and  although  this  remark  is  true  in  relation  to  the  whole  country,  still  it 
has  peculiar  force  when  applied  to  this  part  of  the  State. — From  a  humble 
and  precarious  business,  it  has  risen  to  one  of  gigantic  magnitude.  From 
the  home-made  wooden  Press,  with  worn  and  indifferent  type,  and  with 
scarcely  a  sufficiency  of  those  to  set  up  a  seven-by-nine  sheet,  may  now  be 
seen  the  beautiful  Power  Press,  propelled  by  steam,  with  type  of  the  most 
exquisite  shape  and  finish.  More  is  now  accomplished  in  minutes,  than 
used  to  be  performed  in  hours!  Any  one  who  v/ill  take  the  trouble  to  visit 
the  magnificent  Printing  Establishments  in  Rochester  and  Buffalo,  will  ad- 
mit the  truthfulness  of  this  remark. — This  branch  of  business  has  fully  kept 
pace  with  the  other  improvements  of  the  day,  and  added  very  greatly  to  the 
general,  and  I  may  add,  the  almost  universal  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  in- 
formation among  the  people. 


64 


Now,  as  formerly,  there  is  a  too  prevalent  error  among  the  people,  or  at 
least  a  certain  class  of  them,  aided  more  or  less  by  the  ready  credulity  of 
members  of  the  Craft,  to  augment  the  number  of  Newspaper  establishments. 
It  is  too  often  the  case,  that  young  and  inexperienced  members  of  the  pro- 
fession suffer  themselves  to  be  made  the  dupes  of  aspiring  political  dema- 
gogues, and  senseless,  but  noisy,  reformers  of  the  ills  of  life,  and  are  thus 
induced  to  embark  in  the  busy  turmoil  of  the  day,  without  any  substantial 
basis  upon  which  to  rest  their  hopes  of  success.  To  this  cause,  no  doubt, 
may  be  attributed  most  of  the  failures  that  have  attended  the  establishment 
of  the  Press,  in  this,  as  well  as  other  portions  of  the  state.  Success  in  such 
cases  is  scarcely  to  be  expected,  and,  indeed,  ought  not  to  be  desired. — 

Young  men  should  be  particularly  cautious  about  embarking  in  such  enter- 
prises, as  a  first  failure,  generally  speaking,  haunts  them  through  life, — 
loading  them  down,  with  hopeless  debts,  and  damping  their  ardor  for  future 
combats,  and  a  successful  struggle  with  the  enterprise  of  the  day. 

I  must  be  permitted  before  closing  these  remarks,  to  bear  my  most  un- 
qualified approbation  to  the  good  that  must  inevitably  result  to  the  pro- 
fession—and if  to  them,  to  the  public  also— in  the  due  observance  of  the 
annual  return  of  the  natal  day  of  their  feilow-craftsman,  the  great,  and  ever- 
to-be-remembered.  Franklin.  The  Printers  of  Rochester  were  the  first  to 
move  in  this  matter,  in  Western  New- York— nobly  and  generously  have  they 
carried  it  forward  thus  far.  They  deserve,  and  I  doubt  not,  will  receive, 
the  thanks  of  the  Craft  generally.  Such  a  gathering  of  the  Craft — enter- 
taining as  they  do,  various  and  discordant  opinions  on  many  of  the  exciting 
topics  of  the  day— is  calculated  to  do  good.  It  tends  so  soften  the  asperi- 
ties of  party  strife— gives  them  better  conceptions  of  one  another,  and  leads 
to  the  cultivation  of  a  personal  good  will,  that  cannot  fail  to  exhibit  itself 
ill  the  prosecution  of  their  individual  business.  Let  the  annual  return  of  the 
day,  therefore,  be  hailed  with  joy  and  delight  by  the  Printers  of  Western 
New-York. 


65 


HAROLD  E.  PICKERSGILL 
Printer 
Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey. 


pi 


